iG PEOPLE'S 50GIET1E 



Leonard WoolseyBac 



ACTICAL WORKER 



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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 



Chap. L Copyright No. 

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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



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EDITED BY 

SAMUEL MACAULEY JACKSON 

PROFESSOR OF CHURCH HISTORY IN 

NEW YORK UNIVERSITY. 



YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES 



Young People's Societies 



BY / 

LEONARD WOOLSEY BACON 

AND 

CHARLES ADDISON NORTHROP 

BOTH OF 

NORWICH, CONN. 



Hew JtJorfe 
LENTILHON & COMPANY 

150 FIFTH AVENUE 
1900 

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TWO COPIES RECEIVED 

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Copyright, 1900, 
By Lentilhon & Company 



StCOND COPY. 

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CONTENTS. 



PART I.— HISTORICAL. 

PAGE 

Chapter I. — Lend-a-Hand Clubs 17-22 

Tendency of Nineteenth Century Christian- 
ity to Organize on a Large Scale, 17; Many 
Forms, 17, 18; Dr. Hale's "Ten Times One is 
Ten," 19; The Resulting Clubs, 20; and Mag- 
azine, 21. 

Chapter II. — The International Order of 

The King's Daughters and Sons 22-27 

First Circle of "The King's Daughters," 22\ 
"Declaration of Independence," 23, 24; Per- 
mitted Co-operation, 24, 25; Order Opened to 
Men and Boys, 25; Wonderful Growth in Ten 
Years, 25, 26; Periodical, Constitution and In- 
clusiveness, 27. 

Chapter III. — The Young People's Society of 

Christian Endeavor 28-33 

Independent Beginnings, 28; Organization 
of the First Society, 28; Growth in Succeeding 
Years, 29-31; The United Society, What It Is, 
and How Managed, 31, 32; Its Periodical and 
President, 32; Dr. Clark's Four Trips Abroad 
in the Interest of C. E., 32, 331 Christian En- 
deavor Principles, 33. (See also, 223-225.) 

Chapter IV. — Some Kindred Societies 33-44 

1. The Epworth League, Why Formed, 34; 
How Formed, 35; Modification in the Ep- 
worth L^agtt^, So^itji, 35; Liberal Policy of 
the Canadian* LeaTgues, 36; a Like Compre- 
hensive Organization in Other Orders, 36, 37; 
Official Information^ .37. 

2. The Baptist Young People's Union of 
America, "General Basis of Organization," 37 
(see also, 225-227); Relation of Union to the 
Local Societies, and Official Information, 37. 

3. The Luther League, Special Reasons for 

vii. 



Vlll CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

its Existence, 38, 39; Its Uniting Bond, its 
Extent, its Official Information, 39, 40. 

4. The Young People's Christian Union of 
the United Brethren, its Affiliation With the 
Y. P. S. C. E., 40; Circumstances of its Origin, 
and Official Information, 40, 41. 

5. The Young People's Christian Union of 
the Universalist Church, a Lineal Descendant 
of the Y. P. S. C. E., 41; Its Management and 
Liberal Attitude, 42; Scope of its Work, 43; 
Official Information, 44. 

Chapter V. — The Brotherhoods 44-55 

1. The Brotherhood of St. Andrew, Doubk 
Reason for its Organization, 45; Its Growth, 
Conventions, Policy and Official Information, 
46; Declaration of its Essential Principles, 46 
(see also, 228, 229). 

2. The Daughters of the King, Like the 
Brotherhood of St. Andrew, Confined to the 
Protestant Episcopal Church, 47; Not to be 
Confounded With "The King's Daughters," 
48; Its English Chapters, 48. 

3. Brotherhood of Andrew and Philip, First 
Chapter, in the Reformed Church, 48; Other 
Denominations Admitted, 49; Growth and 
Statistics, 49; Brotherhood Committees in 
Other Orders, 50. 

4. Brotherhood of St. Paul, a Methodist 
Order of the Fraternity Type, 50; Supplements 
the Work of the Epworth Leagues, 51; 
Objects and Principles, 52; Scope of Work, 
53; Its Influence and Official Information, 54, 
55. 



PART II.— PRACTICAL. 

Chapter VI. — Types of Constitution 56-60 

How Shall We Organize, 56; For Unselfish 
Service, the Lend-a-Hand Club, 56; If Evan- 
gelical Basis is to Be Emphasized, The King's 
Daughters and Sons, 57; For Self-improve- 
ment, Church Co-operation, and Enthusiasm 
of Members, the Original or Specialized 
Forms of the Y. P. S. C. E., 57; For Exclu- 
sively Denominational Purposes, the Brother- 
hood of St. Andrew, and the Daughters of The 



CONTENTS. IX 

PAGE 
King, 57; For Still Narrower Specialization, 
With Wide Interpretation, the Young Wom- 
en's Christian Temperance Union, or the 
Boys' Brigade, or the Knights of King Arthur, 
58; these Distinctions Not Exclusive, 59; 
Good Deeds, and Good Heart Presuppose 
Each Other, 59, 60. 

Chapter VII. — Pledge, Covenant or Vow 60-65 

The Pledge Constitutive, Whether Informal 
or More Specific, 60; The Y. P. S. C. E. 
Pledge as Type, 61; Its Solemn Nature, 61; 
Not to be too Specific, nor too Extra-Scrip- 
tural, 62; the Terminable Pledge, 63; the 
Christian Endeavor Pledge, a Full Testimony 
of Christian Faith, 63; Why Those Who Take 
it Need Not All be Church Members, 64; Why 
They Probably Should Be, 64; Tendency in 
This Latter Direction, 64, 65. 

Chapter VIII. — Saving OneJs Own Soul 65-68 

Our Master's Warning (Matt, xvi, 25, 26), 
65; Its True Meaning, 66; the Two Principles 
of Young People's Societies, Objective Truth, 
and Altruistic Service, 67; the Edification of 
Scripture Quotations, 68. 

Chapter IX. — Prayer 68-74 

"The Prayer-meeting of Old," 68, 69; Its 
Defects Due to Decay of Faith, 69; Some 
Uses of Prayer: 1, as a Health-lift, 70; 2, as a 
Rhetorical Device, 70; 3, as a Vehicle for the 
Display of Pathos or Eloquence, 72; Will 
Prescribed Prayers Guard Against These 
Dangers? 73; the One Dominating Law of the 
Prayer-meeting, 73. 

Chapter X. — Singing in the Young People's 

Meeting 74-77 

Various Uses of Music, 74; Singing in Wor- 
ship, Serious Business, 75; What is "Good 
Singing?" 76; Studying Hymns, No Help to 
Worship, 76, 77. 

Chapter XL— Service 77-87 

Two Cautions, Against Selfishness and 
Priggishness, 77; Christianoid Charity, 78; the 
Outward Look, 78; Theoretical Danger of 



X CONTENTS. 

PAGE 
Priggishness, 79; Practical Avoidance of it in 
Young People's Meetings, 80; Shall Women 
Speak in Meeting? 80; Some Impossible 
Exegesis of I Cor. xiv, 34, 81-83; the Spirit of 
Paul's Instruction, 83, 84; No Moral Coercion, 
the Privilege of Keeping Silence, 86; Advant- 
ages and Disadvantages of Society Composed 
of Separate Sexes, 86. 

Chapter XII. — The Constituting of a Young 

People's Society 87-91 

Begin With Few, 87; Dr. Clark's Sugges- 
tions, 88; Do Not Hurry, 89; Quotations 
From Handbook of St. Andrew, 90; the Purg- 
ing of Gideon's Army, 91. 

Chapter XIII. — The Form of Constitution... 91-99 
Organization Below the Minimum, 91, 92; 
Shall the Organization be Without or Within 
Church Lines? Arguments pro and con, 93, 
94; Without Church Lines, if for Service in 
Charitable Work With Widest Diversity of 
Operation, there are Lend-a-Hand Clubs, 94; 
if for Spiritual Edification and Service there 
is the Order of King's Daughters and Sons, 
95; Both of these Orders Open to Church 
Circles, 96; Within Church Lines, there are 
Several Forms, the Greatest of All is Christian 
Endeavor, 96; Its Interdenominational Spirit, 
96; Five Choices Open, 97, 98. 

Chapter XIV. — The Christian Endeavor Con- 
stitution : 99-1 16 

"The Beginning of a Society of Christian 
Endeavor," 99; Hints About Starting, 101, 
102; Draft of Constitution and By-Laws, 103- 
116. 

Chapter XV. — The Epworth League Consti- 
tution '. 116-131 

Forms, for Local Chapters, 1 18-122; Sug- 
gestions to Officers, 123-126; Like Suggestions 
in C. E. Work, 127, 128; Variation in Epworth 
Type in Epworth League, South, 129-131; 
Further Modifications, 129. 

Chapter XVI. — The Constitution of the Bap- 
tist Young People's Union 132-138 



CONTENTS. xi 

t- i • PAGE 

Emphasis on Education, 132; Influence of 
C. E. and Epworth League Ideas, 133; Con- 
stitution for Local Union, 134-138. 

Chapter XVII. — The Luther League Consti- 
tution 138, 139 

Object, Method and Results, 138, 139. 

Chapter XVIII. — The Constitutions of the 

Christian Unions 139-141 

1. Young People's Christian Union of the 
United Brethren in Christ, 139, 140; Close 
Resemblance to Y. P. S. C. E. 

2. Young People's Christian Union of the 
Universalist Church, 140; Christian Endeavor 
Inspiration; Suggestive Topics for Devotional 
Meetings, 141. 

Chapter XIX. — The Working of a Young 

People's Society. I. — Its Meetings 141-167 

1. Meetings for Worship and Inspiration, 
142-147; Hints on Prayer-meetings, 142-144; 
the Prayer-meeting Pledge in the Various 
Orders, 144, 145; the Consecration Meeting, 
-146; the Prayer-meeting Means Effective, In- 
telligent and Humble Service, 146, 147. 

2. Meetings for Instruction, 148-167: (1) The 
Bible, 148-151; Place and Power of Bible 
Study, 148, 149; Bible Study Among the 
King's Daughters, 148; Among the Endeavor- 
ers, 149; in the B. Y. P. U., 150; in the Ep- 
worth League, 150, 151; Among the United 
Brethren, 151. (2) Missionary Study, 151-157; 
Missionary Revival Parallel With the Young 
People's Movement, 151; Missionary Work 
in C. E. Societies, 152; in Epworth League, 
153; in B. Y. P. U., 153; Scheme of Conquest 
Missionary Course, 154-156; the Giving Part 
of Missionary Work, 156. (3) Temperance 
Study, 157, 158; Wide Range of Material In- 
volving Need of Care in Reaching Conclu- 
sions. (4) General Culture, 158-165; the Ep- 
worth Reading Course, 159; the Baptist C. C. 
C. Courses, 160; Advanced Courses, 160, 161; 
Prescribed Courses of Reading for Epworth 
Leagues, 161, 162; Books Studied by the Y. P. 
C. U. of the United Brethren, 162, 163; Rev. 
H» E. Wise's Method of Conducting His 



Xll CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

Christian Culture Courses, 163-165; What the 
Lutheran Young People are Reading, 165. 
(5) Christian Citizenship, 165-167; Empha- 
sized by Endeavorers and the Universalist 
Young People; Value of the Periodicals Pub- 
lished by the Several Orders, 167. 

Chapter XX. — The Working of a Young Peo- 
ple's Society. II. — Its Activities 167-178 

Transition From Meetings to Activities 
Made Through Social Committee Work, 168; 
What- a Young People's Social Should Be, 
168-170; Breadth of Activities, 170, 171; a 
• Leaf From New Jersey, 171, 172; Significance 
of the Mottoes, 173; Some C. E. Christian 
Citizenship Work for the Year 1894, 174-176; • • 
Business Meetings, 176, 177; Flexibility in 
Working, 178; Ritual, 178. 

Chapter XXL — Junior Societies 178-181 

The Juniors Organized in All Orders, 179; 
the Junior Society and the Sunday-school, 179, 
180; Forms of Junior Pledges, 180, 181; 
Objects, Equipment and Relations of Junior 
Work, 181. 

Chapter XXII. — Younger People's Societies. 181-188 
The Many Forms and Names, 182, 183; Dr. 
Forbush's "Manual of Boys' Clubs," 183; the 
Boys' Brigade, 184-187; the Church Temper- 
ance Legion, 187, 188. 

Chapter XXIII. — Conventions 188-196 

The Local Unions, 189; State and Interna- 
tional Conventions, 190; the Endeavor Con- 
ventions, 190, 191; Epworth League and B. Y. 
P. U. Conventions, 191, 192; the Fellowship 
of these Three, 193; Wider Fellowship, 193; 
Conventions of Brotherhood of St. Andrew, 
!93> 194; and of Andrew and Philip, 194, 195; 
of the Young People's Christian Union of the 
Universalist Church, 195; the Conventions, 
Great Summer Schools, 196. 

Chapter XXIV. — Federation 196-204 

The Early Co-operation, 197; the Threat- 
ened Competition, 198; the Wider Co-opera- 
tion, 198, 199; Why Not Still Wider? 200; 
Closer Relations Attempted Between C. E. 



CONTENTS. XUi 

PAGE 

and Epworth League, 201; "Shall the Young 
People's Societies be Federated?" — Sym- 
posium in "The Independent," 202-204. 

Chapter XXV. — Results 205-221 

1. Results Aimed At, 205-206; Training for 
Christian Character and Service. 

2. Results Achieved, 206-216; in the Mem- 
bership, Consecration and Inspiration for 
Service, 206; in the Churches, More System- 
atic and Vigorous Work, 207; Results Secured 
Through Senior Societies, 208; Churches Or- 
ganized on C. E. Plan, 209; Increased Mem- 
bership in the Churches, and More Gifts for 
Missions, 209; Temperance and Good Citi- 
zenship Revivals, 210. Are the Societies 
Doing All that is Expected of Them? 210, Is 
too Much Expected? 211; Some Satisfactory 
Results in Attendance and Participation, 212; 
The Societies Not to be Held to Any One 
Thing, 212, 213; the Time Element Over- 
looked, Dangers, 213; Criticism of Epworth 
Leagues, 214; English Strictures on C. E. 
Work, 214; Twelve Manner of Fruit, 215. 

3. Results Expected, 216-221; in the Line of 
Covenant, the Most Satisfactory Pledge, 216; 
the effects on the Churches, 217; in the Line 
of Culture, Increased Interest in Church and 
General History, and Scripture Study, 218; 
in the Line of Civics, Better Citizenship, 
Especially Along Temperance Lines, 219, 220; 
in the Line of Missions, Work at First Hand, 
Relief of Boards and Treasuries, 221; Provis- 
ion for Indefinite Continuance of Results, 221. 



YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES, 



PART I. 
HISTORICAL. 

CHAPTER I. 

LEND-A-HAND CLUBS. 

One conspicuous distinction of the Christianity 
of the nineteenth century, especially in America, is 
its tendency to large organization. It belongs, in- 
deed, to the essential nature of the Christian faith, 
that wherever it prevails it organizes itself. Love 
toward Christ's brethren is an invariable sign of 
spiritual life in Christ ; so that wherever Christians 
are, there must needs be the church ; and wherever 
churches are, there is manifested, in spite of all 
hindrances and perversions, the movement toward 
that general fellowship of holy souls which is de- 
fined in the Apostles' Creed as "the holy catholic 
church." 

But that large organization of which we have 
spoken as distinguishing the American Christianity 
of the nineteenth century has its own characteristic 
forms. A wonderful quickening of religious faith 
all over the inhabited continent, in the early years 
of the century, resulted in the institution of national 
charitable and missionary societies, first without re- 
gard to sectarian division, afterwards within the 
lines of the several sects. 

About the same time sprang up the system of 

17 



l8 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 

Sunday-schools, attaching themselves to individual 
congregations as part of the parish equipment, and 
by and by entering into mutual leagues and cre- 
ating for themselves a vast literature. 

In the middle of the century, the Young Men's 
Christian Association was imported from London, 
and so fitted itself to a rapidly growing need of 
American cities, as to become established in great 
vigor and wealth in all parts of the country, and by 
a system of mutual correspondence and confedera- 
tion to grow into a national institution. 

The wonderful expansion and cheapening of 
transportation, travel and postal communication 
came to have the effect of rapidly nationalizing any 
successful local method of organization. Illustra- 
tions of this are to be found in the history of many 
"orders," "granges," "unions," and other like com- 
binations, for social, business or mutual insurance 
purposes. One of the most striking and admirable 
instances of the sort is found in the great and swift 
expansion of the Chautauqua movement. Begin- 
ning with a fortnight's picnic of a few Sunday- 
school teachers in a grove beside Chautauqua Lake, 
in New York State, in 1874, it has grown like a 
banyan tree, striking root from its branches, until 
after two decades, it has covered the continent with 
what is, in some respects, almost tantamount to a 
national university, numbering its students by scores 
of thousands. 

It was into the midst of a people thus predisposed 
to organization on the grand scale that the Rev. 
Dr. Edward Everett Hale, in the year 1870, sent 



YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 19 

forth his extraordinary little book, entitled "Ten 
Times One Is Ten." In form, it was a Utopian 
fancy wrought out with that lively realistic detail 
in which its author excels all other English writers 
since De Foe. In effect and impression, it was a 
translation of the Acts of the Apostles into the dia- 
lect of nineteenth-century America. It reminds one 
of the New Testament scenes depicted in modern 
costumes and surroundings by von Uhde or L/Her- 
mitte. It tells how ten very unlike persons, inspired 
to a life of good service by the surviving influence 
of one noble character, were scattered in all direc- 
tions bearing in their hearts the inspiring mottoes : 

Look up and not down; 
Look forward and not back; 
Look out and not in; and 
Lend a hand. 

The original ten was multiplied by ten every three 
years, until at the end of twenty-seven years the 
whole world accepted faith, hope and love as the 
rule of life. It was characteristic of this beginning 
that it was without constitution or compact or other 
form of organization, but only with a vital principle. 
As in the story, so in the practical results of it. 
Little knots of helpful persons began to form them- 
selves without mutual correspondence and without 
any effort of propagation. The first club was 
formed in 1870, the year of the publication of Dr. 
Hale's story. At the end of twenty-five years, the 
Secretary of "The Ten Times One Corporation," 
which had been formed and chartered as an agency 
for the common business of the clubs of various 



20 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 

names that had adopted "The Wadsworth mot- 
toes/' reported : 

"It is simply impossible to know the number of people 
who have chosen these mottoes for their own. It has 
escaped, if ever it was held by the Central Office. Orders 
are formed that have multiplied with vigor. Clubs are re- 
ported, of whose existence the Central Office never knew. 
New clubs are forming and old ones are disbanding. 
Though they do disband, often single members, cherishing 
the mottoes, wait until the time shall come, when, in far- 
away towns or countries, they form a new Ten." 

In accordance with the ideal of the man who gave 
them a start, the common organization of the 
"Lend-a-Hand Clubs" and "Ten-Times-One Clubs" 
was of the simplest and slightest. In fact, they were 
not organized together at all, to begin with; they 
simply grew and multiplied, and had more or less, 
or none at all, of mutual correspondence. In 1874, a 
"Look-up Legion" was formed at Chautauqua, and 
gave occasion to Dr. Hale and his circle of friends 
at Boston to publish successive circulars, which by 
and by gave place to a monthly "Journal of Or- 
ganized Beneficence/' entitled "Lend a Hand." 
What followed upon this jnay best be told in Dr. 
Hale's own words : 

"Quite, without any conscious plan on the part of any 
of us, so soon as the magazine "Lend a Hand" was es- 
tablished, there flowed in upon its office a great variety 
of appeals and suggestions for charities, which no one of 
our clubs alone could attend to. In an informal way, the 
editors and other persons interested in the work met these 
appeals as best they could. From time to time, in one 
way or another, we printed public reports of what we had 
done with money entrusted to us, and sometimes we made 



YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 2I 

appeals for such money to the public at large, in addition 
to the circulars which we sent to the several clubs. At 
last, the business thus transacted was so large that it 
seemed to me desirable that, in the event of my death or 
of the transfer of the magazine to other publishers, some 
arrangement should be made for carrying forward this 
sort of work, — at least, for preserving the property, in the 
shape of stereotype plates or printed leaflets, which be- 
longed to the Central Society. This wish of mine led to the 
incorporation of the society on the 20th day of November, 
1891. All contributions made to the various charities of 
the Central Clubs are really made to this corporation, and 
in the event of my death such charities would go on as 
directly as if they were carried on by me."* 

The motto to characterize the common order of 
these affiliated clubs might be, "Go as you please — 
only go." The central office, which offers them 
facilities for mutual correspondence and co-opera- 
tion, has set forth the following statement : 

Any club, or society, of whatever name, is a Ten-Times- 
One or Lend-a-Hand Club, which accepts the Wadsworth 
mottoes: 

Look up and not down; 
Look forward and not back; 
Look out and not in; 
And lend a hand. 

It should have for one, at least, of its objects, the up- 
lifting of some person, neighborhood, or institution out- 
side of the Club itself. 

A Club may organize as it will. 

Each -Club may choose its own name, make its own 
constitution and select its own work. 



^Annual Report of the President of the Ten Times One 
Corporation, 1894. 



22 YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 

The badge is the Maltese cross; the watchword, In His 
Name. But neither badge nor watchword is compulsory. 

On no other basis than this of Faith, Hope and 
Love, of which words the four mottoes were ac- 
cepted as a paraphrase, a very large number, not 
only of clubs and societies, but of affiliations or 
orders of clubs, have grown up. Among them may 
be named : 

The Look-up Legion, 

The Commercial Temperance League, 

The Order of Send-me, 

The Lend-a-Hand Clubs, 

The I. H. N. Clubs. 

A monthly magazine, "The Lend-a-Hand Rec- 
ord," is "devoted to the interests of Lend-a-Hand 
Clubs and humanity. " It is published at No. I 
Beacon street, Boston. 

The President of the Corporation is Rev. Edward 
Everett Hale, D.D. ; the Secretary is Mrs. Bernard 
Whitman. 



CHAPTER II. 

THE INTERNATIONAL ORDER OF THE KING'S DAUGH- 
TERS AND SONS. 

One of the earliest organizations springing from 
the inspiration of Dr. Hale's story of "Ten Times 
One Is Ten" was a circle in New York, that took 
the name of "The King's Daughters." The birth 
of it, as told in a letter afterwards written to Dr. 
Hale by Mrs. Davis, the Secretary, was on this 
wise ; "In October, 1885, I went to Mrs. Bottome, 



YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 23 

who received the outline of the 'Sisterhood' which 
you sent, with enthusiasm. I read 'Ten Times One' 
before her class in her husband's church to-night. 
. . . . She is carried away with it." The "leaven 
which a woman took" wrought effectively. January 
13, 1886, ten women met at Mrs. Bottome's house 
and organized themselves into a "Ten," adopting 
the four mottoes, the watchword, "In His Name," 
and the badge, a silver Maltese cross, that were 
common to the societies of various names that had 
sprung from the same fruitful stock. 

The position of this Circle, and some special gifts 
and aptitudes among its members, constituted it a 
natural centre for counsel and co-operation among 
the many like Circles that at once began to multiply 
about it. But, following the example of the proto- 
type at Boston, it scrupulously avoided the error of 
"governing too much," "disclaiming any purpose 
to control any Circle in its choice of a field of 
labor." 

A curious incident, not difficult to explain on ob- 
vious principles of human nature, marked the early 
history of this sisterhood. It issued among its 
"leaflets," a "declaration of independence" in the 
following terms : 

In answer to the repeated question that comes to us, 
"Do you belong in any way to the other 'Tens,' 'Lend-a- 
Hand Clubs,' 'Look-up Legions/ etc.?" we desire to clear- 
ly state that we have no connection with any other orders 
whatsoever. 

The Daughters of the King recognize that they are in- 
debted to these friends for admirable suggestions, which 
they have thankfully adopted. Ours is distinctly a spiritual 



24 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 

organization, based on strictly evangelical principles. Our 
foundation is Jesus Christ, our Lord, in whose atonement 
alone we rely for salvation, and by whose power, and in 
whose name and to whose glory all our work is done. 

Our Order has assumed unexpectedly large proportions, 
and we feel God has chosen His daughters as instruments 
of great blessing to multitudes. Let us not "limit the 
Holy One of Israel." God has promised to pour out His 
spirit on His handmaidens in these latter days. Let us 
be emptied vessels, that He may fill us, and use us to the 
pulling down of Satan's strongholds and the bringing in 
of the kingdom of our Lord, "whose we are and whom 
we serve." Let us see to it that our basis be distinctly 
understood that we may have the confidence and co- 
operation with all with whom we are one in a common 
faith in the ever-blessed Trinity — God the Father, God the 
Son, and God the Holy Ghost. 

Indorsed by the Central Council of the Order of the 
King's Daughters. 

This somewhat ostentatious display of dogmatic 
orthodoxy looked like a bold act of excommunica- 
tion fulminated against the first founders of the so- 
cieties from which The King's Daughters had 
sprung. It seemed as if the Order was instituting 
a censorship of religious opinions, and preparing 
to found a religious sect. But the sequel showed 
that practically it was only an expression of the 
lively and demonstrative zeal of some of the leaders 
of the young movement, and meant nothing more. 
It was officially announced that the Order 

demanded no uniformity in choice of labors. It declined 
to make of its Central Council a Board of Examiners into 
the theological views of its members. It had no right to 
question the love of those who accepted a call to commit 



YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 25 

themselves to labor for His sake and in His Name. It did 
not found a Church. It only summoned women to greater 
and sweeter service, in and beyond their own churches.* 

So plain a declaration as this puts the Order of 
King's Daughters indistinguishably on the same 
basis as the original "Tens" from which it was de- 
rived, and gives it free course, and saves it from an 
easily besetting peril. 

Another limitation to its wide effectiveness was 
removed in 1887, when "after urgent request, mem- 
bership in the Order was opened to men and boys." 
Its corporate style is now "The International Order 
of the King's Daughters and Sons." 

The growth of this Order has been wonderfully 
great and rapid. At the end of its first ten years, 
it was able to report : 

From the organization of the Order, in January, 1886, 
with ten members, it has attained, in 1896, to a member- 
ship approximating 400,000. 

At the present time it exists in greater or less numbers 
in North and South America, in Great Britain, Germany, 
France, Italy, Greece, Switzerland, Denmark and Turkey, 
in Europe; in India, China, Japan and Turkey, in Asia; 
in Australia, New Zealand, the Hawaiian Isles; in the 
Bermudas and Bahamas. There are individual members 
and some Circles in Palestine, effective bands in Smyrna, 
and several hundreds of members in mission fields abroad. 
In many of these places organization is well advanced, 
and there is not only a steady increase of membership, 
but, what is far better, there are evidences of consolidation, 
classification and adaptation to many practical lines of 
helpful work. 



Silver Cross Leaflets," No. II. 



26 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 

The Order has passed beyond such sentimentalism and 
sensationalism as was born, not of its principles, or its 
general management and conduct, but of its excessively 
rapid growth. This growth proved two things: first, that 
its projectors had been quite right in the supposition that 
there were multitudes of women eager and desirous of 
making their lives of value to themselves and of use to 
the world; and, second, that what they needed was not 
stimulation in order to make them willing to work, but 
education in the world's needs, and instruction as to the 
best methods of battling with its misery and sin. 

But the transformation of this mass of womanhood into 
companies of well-trained soldiers, ready for an aggres- 
sive and successful movement against any one form of 
suffering or sin, has been a mighty work. The marvel 
is, not that it should have been so imperfectly accom- 
plished, but that such wonderful progress should already 
have been made. And how largely the movement was of 
God, and not of man nor of woman, is proven by the fact 
that even under the prolonged period of experiment the 
interest and enthusiasm have not died out, and the uplift- 
ing purpose is dominant in thousands of women's lives 
who have not yet found out the best way to make the 
most of themselves or to do the most for the good of 
others. 

The measure of this work is not in the number of large 
buildings erected, not of new enterprises successfully car- 
ried on; its object has ever been the training of character 
until it should be a quiet, helpful force in good work 
already existing. Yet the Order can point to such an 
amount of new and aggressive work as would be a grand 
record if there were nothing else to be considered. 

Hardly any class of people has been forgotten in its 
ministrations. Among the poor and the sick, in kinder- 
gartens, hospitals and jails, among the victims of flood 
and fire and disease, the little cross has gone with its lov- 
ing service. Missionaries in foreign lands, and the Indians 
on our own vast plains, have been helped. Special in- 



YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 27 

terest has always been shown in the care of the aged and 
of little children; and the distinctively educational work, 
in school and college extension by correspondence, among 
members of the Order, has no insignificant place among 
the varied activities of the King's Daughters and Sons.* 

"The Official Representative of the International 
Order of the King's Daughters and Sons" is a 
weekly paper, "The Silver Cross/' published by the 
Central Council, New York. 

The Constitution provides for "Circles" and 
"Chapters of Circles" and State secretaryships, 
under the general direction and advice of the Cen- 
tral Council, with which they are expected to keep 
in closest correspondence. Every branch or Cir- 
cle may choose its own special work, adopting 
its own Circle name and motto and its own plan of 
operation. 

"In the development of the idea the direction 
specially emphasized is, first, the heart, next the 
home, then the Church and after that the great 
outside." 

The Order does not make an age limit, and con- 
tains many who, while no longer young, still seek 
to serve. It is interdenominational in the fullest 
sense. The members of its Circles often belong 
to one Church. Quite as often they belong to 
different Churches. They may belong to no Church 
at all. They may be Protestants or Catholics. Re- 
sponsibility is unto "the King, our Lord and Sav- 
iour Jesus Christ." 



""Silver Cross Leaflets," No. III. 



28 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 



CHAPTER III. 

THE YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETY OF CHRISTIAN 

ENDEAVOR. 

We have had a notable illustration of the pre- 
paredness of the country for rapid and widely dif- 
fused growths of religious organization. But a 
more impressive illustration of it is the subject of 
the present chapter. 

The beginning of the Young People's Society 
of Christian Endeavor had no traceable connection 
with the multifarious organizations that sprang 
from the good seed sown by Dr. Hale's story of 
"Ten Times One Is Ten." It grew from its own 
root. 

In February, 1881, there was planted by the Rev. 
Francis E. Clark, the young pastor of a young 
church in Portland, Me., a little society of the young 
people of his own congregation, designed to pro- 
mote the spiritual culture and useful activity of its 
members. The details of its organization will be the 
subject of our future study; but it will not be easy 
to discover in its very simple Constitution the ex- 
planation of the great consequences that followed 
from this small beginning. It was on Wednesday, 
Feb. 2, 1881, that 35 boys and girls, including some 
of a little maturer age, gathered in the pastor's 
parlor, and signed their names to the draft of a 
Constitution by which they pledged themselves to 
be regularly present and take some part in a weekly 
prayer-meeting, which once a month should be "a 



YOUNG- PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 29 

consecration meeting," in which vows of fidelity 
should be exchanged. Among the committees of 
the society was to be a "look-out committee/' 
charged with recruiting new members and reclaim- 
ing any that might grow negligent of duty. These 
are really all the essential points of the organiza- 
tion that has since been carried round the world 
and numbers its members by millions. 

At the end of twelve months there were twenty 
Societies of Christian Endeavor, framed upon sub- 
stantially the same plan. 

The next year, 1883, there were reported fifty-six 
societies. 

At the third annual convention of Young Peo- 
ple's Societies of Christian Endeavor, October, 
1884, there were reported 156 societies, and 8,905 
members. Among them were societies in China, 
India and the Hawaiian Islands. 

Nine months later, at the fourth annual conven- 
tion, there were reported 253 societies, with nearly 
15,000 members. 

In 1886, there were 850 societies, with 30,000 
members, representing eight different denomina- 
tions, distributed through thirty-three States, Ter- 
ritories and Provinces, with seven societies in for- 
eign lands. 

In 1887, there were 2,314 societies; they were 
multiplying in the Western States and in foreign 
countries. 

In 1888 were reported about 4,000 societies and 
310,000 members. The annual conventions of the 
Order began to be recognized as events of national 



30 young' people's societies. 

importance, attended by annually increasing 
throngs gathered from the ends of the land and of 
the world. 

At the convention in Philadelphia, in 1889, were 
reported 7,062 societies, with 485,000 mem- 
bers. 

At St. Louis, in 1890, after an interval of only 
eleven months, the societies were found to have 
increased to over 11,000, and the 485,000 members 
to 660,000. 

With great fitness, the tenth anniversary of the 
founding of the first of the Christian Endeavor 
Societies was celebrated by a convention at its 
birthplace, in Portland, Me. 

In 1891, the addition of 6,200 brought up the 
number of societies to 16,274; the membership 
numbered 976,440. 

In 1892, notwithstanding the withdrawal of sev- 
eral hundreds of societies to join the Epworth 
League, the roll of societies counted 21,080, and the 
membership 1,370,200. 

In 1893, there were in all the world, 26,284 so- 
cieties, with a membership of 1,577,040. Of the 
societies, 600 were in England, 525 in Australia, 71 
in India, 41 in Turkey and 32 in Madagascar. The 
Constitution had been printed in 21 languages. 

In 1894, the Secretary reported 33,679 societies, 
of which 28,696 were in the United States. The 
membership was 2,023,800. 

In 1895, there were 41,229 societies, of which 
4,712 were outside of the United States. The mem- 
bers were 2,473,740. 



YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 3 I 

In 1896 there were 46,125 societies, and 2,767,500 
members. 

In 1897, at the convention in San Francisco, 
were reported 50,780 societies, having 3,000,000 
members. 

In 1898, at Nashville, there were reported 54,191 
societies and a membership of more than three and 
one-quarter millions. 

In 1899, there were 55,813 societies and over 
three and one-third millions of members. 

These societies are found in nearly forty different 
denominations and in every country in the 
world. 

Early in the history of the movement the ad- 
vantages of incorporation were seen, and so, in 
1885, the United Society of Christian Endeavor was 
founded and incorporated, the object being "to 
bind the societies closer together in a common in- 
terest and to provide a responsible central organiza- 
tion, through which the work of the society may be 
carried on in the way of raising, receiving and pay- 
ing out money, and giving proper custody for 
whatever property the society may acquire. " 

The United Society of Christian Endeavor, with 
headquarters in Tremont Temple, Boston, is made 
up of such members and former members of Chris- 
tian Endeavor Societies as choose to pay one dollar 
into its treasury, and are elected by a two-thirds 
vote of the corporation. It is "simply a bureau of 
information. It claims no authority and exercises 
none. It records the names of local societies, tabu- 
lates statistics, issues information in the form of 



32 YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 

leaflets and booklets, and provides the program for 
the International Conventions." 

It is managed by a Board of Trustees, elected 
at the annual meeting, representing the different 
denominations, and includes the presidents of each 
State, Territorial and Provincial Union in the 
United States and in Canada. "The expenses of the 
society are kept at the lowest point possible, and it 
is supported altogether by the sale of its literature 
and badges, and never asks for a contribution from 
the societies." Within a short time after its found- 
ing it was self-supporting. 

In 1887, R ev - Francis E. Clark became its Presi- 
dent and editor-in-chief of its official organ, "The 
Golden Rule" — since named "The Christian En- 
deavor World." He receives his support from the 
paper and not from the society. 

In 1888, he made a journey to England and 
laid the foundation of the Christian Endeavor 
growth in the United Kingdom, following it up by 
a later trip, with others, in 1891. 

The next year — J 892 — he made a journey around 
the world at the invitation of many friends in Aus- 
tralia, Japan, China, India, Turkey, Spain and Eng i 
land, not to start new societies, but to visit and en- 
courage those already formed, to study the adapta- 
tion of Christian Endeavor to other lands, and to 
stimulate zeal for missions in the home societies. 
In 1895, the World's Christian Endeavor Union 
was formed, with Dr. Clark for President and Rev. 
W. J. L. Closs, of Australia, for Secretary. An- 
other extended journey in distant lands was made 



YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 33 

in the next year, to establish and strengthen Chris- 
tian Endeavor Societies, chiefly on the continent 
of Europe and South Africa. 

Christian Endeavor principles were reaffirmed 
at Boston in 1895, in what is known as the Chris- 
tian Endeavor Platform, and is given in full in the 
Appendix to this book. 



CHAPTER IV. 

SOME KINDRED SOCIETIES. 

I. The Epworth League. 

It is an essential quality of the Christian En- 
deavor Society that it is vitally and organically con- 
nected with the local church. It was an incident 
of its birth that at the very start it was connected 
with churches of the Congregationalist order. But 
almost from the beginning it began to organize it- 
self indifferently in churches of many different de- 
nominations, until the Endeavor Societies of Con- 
gregationalist churches came to be a very small mi- 
nority of the whole number. In the annually in j 
creasing conventions of the united societies, the 
fervid mutual fellowship of societies attached indi- 
vidually to many differing and almost antagonistic 
sects was to many generous minds an inspiring 
sight, conveying the prophecy and the earnest of 
the manifested unity of the Church of Christ. 

But it was inevitable that to minds deeply im- 
pressed with the value of existing sectarian divisions 



34 YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 

and the importance of maintaining them unim- 
paired, these manifestations of fellowship would 
become an occasion of alarm and jealousy. It was 
undoubtedly a wise concession, in the interest of 
the diffusion of the Order, to disarm the enmity 
and propitiate the good will of sectarian leaders, 
not only by earnest disclaimers of any intention 
of weakening sectarian ties, but by urgently com- 
mending to each local society the duty not only 
of faithfulness to the church in which it lives, but 
to the sect with which its church is connected. It 
was eager to declare itself "not undenominational, 
but interdenominational. " The prodigious throngs 
of delegates that gathered by scores of thousands at 
the annual conventions, assembled not only in huge 
mass-meetings to express their mutual fellowship 
and common faith, but in "Denominational Ral- 
lies/' in which the multitude should be assorted 
and distributed according to sectarian attachments, 
and should counsel and cheer one another for the 
promotion of the interests of the several denomina- 
tions. 

Notwithstanding all this^ the suspicion still pre- 
vailed in the minds of some influential leaders that 
sectarian interests would not be secure so long as 
the young people's societies in the sect should have 
any organic connection with societies outside of the 
pale. The Methodist Church, in whose connection 
Christian Endeavor Societies were numbered by 
hundreds, led off with its declaration of independ- 
ence. In May^i88c), a meeting was held at Cleve- 
land of representatives of five different Methodist 



YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 35 

organizations for young people, who agreed to con- 
solidate their various societies in "The Epworth 
League." The new institution was ably constituted 
equipped and manned, and at the first meeting of 
its "Board of Control," February 6, 1890, was in 
a position to announce its two thousand chapters 
and over one hundred thousand members. The 
summons, "To your tents, O Israel/' was sent out 
to all the Circles of Christian Endeavor and like or- 
ganizations in Methodist churches to reconstitute 
themselves under the denominational Order, in the 
following appeal : 

The Epworth League has its origin in the conviction 
that the various young people's societies of the Church 
should be united in one organization. Its scheme of work 
has been made large enough to comprehend all forms 
of Christian activity. We, therefore, recommend that all 
literary, social and religious societies of young people 
now in existence in our Church merge themselves into 
the Epworth League, and that every such society continue 
its special work through that department of the League 
under which it would properly fall. 

The withdrawal in consequence of this recom- 
mendation, considerable as it was, did not arrest, 
even for a single year, the prodigious growth of the 
Christian Endeavor Society. The Epworth 
League, organizing its work systematically in six 
departments, has attained a substantially exclusive 
standing in the congregations of the Methodist 
Episcopal Church. October 1, 1897, it claimed 
1,650,000 members, in 24,000 chapters. A similar 
constitution, with modifications, has been adopted 
in the Methodist Episcopal Church, South; there 



2,6 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 

the work is divided into only three departments. 
In the Canadian Methodist Church a more liberal 
and catholic policy has been followed. While "the 
Epworth League is the official young people's so- 
ciety of the denomination, the combination of the 
two names, Christian Endeavor and Epworth 
League, is allowed if the society desires, and the 
continuance of the Christian Endeavor interde- 
nominational fellowship is allowed to the Epworth 
Leagues of Christian Endeavor, which are now 
greatly in the majority in the Canadian churches. 
The plan seems to work most admirably, for full 
denominational control is secured, and at the same 
time the widest interdenominational fellowship/'* 
The Baptist Young People's Union, and, among 
the Lutherans, the Luther League, are constituted 
in a similar comprehensive way. Aiming to sys- 
tematize and draw together in some measure of 
correspondence and co-operation all the organiza- 
tions for the young in their several congregations, 
they have not sought to detach them from a wider 
fellowship. A similar course has been taken by the 
Free Baptists, the Evangelical Association, the 
United Brethren and the United Presbyterians. 
The name and method of the Christian Endeavor 
Society have been found sufficiently excellent and 
elastic to commend themselves, without modifica- 
tion, for general acceptance among the Presby- 
terians, the Cumberland Presbyterians, the Dis- 



*World-wide Endeavor," by Francis E. Clark, D.D., pp. 
320, 321. 



YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 37 

ciples, the Moravians, the Friends, the Congrega- 
tionalists and the Methodist Protestants. 

The President of the Board of Control of the 
Epworth League is Bishop W. X. Ninde, LL.D. 
Its central office is at No. 57 Washington street, 
Chicago. Its General Secretary is Rev. Wilbur P. 
Thirkield, D.D.; its official organ, "The Epworth 
Herald," a weekly paper, edited by Rev. Joseph F. 
Berry, D.D. Its motto is "Look up. Lift up." The 
emblematic colors are a white ribbon with a thread 
of scarlet running lengthwise through the centre. 
The membership is 1,750,000. 

II. The Baptist Young People's Union of America. 

This society was organized upon principles 
agreed upon at a conference of representative Bap- 
tists, who met at Philadelphia in 1891, several weeks 
previous to the organization of the Union, and put 
forth over their signatures a document which was 
widely disseminated, entitled "General Basis of Or- 
ganization." A copy of this paper will be found m 
the Appendix. 

The relation of the Union to the local societies is 
substantially the same as that borne by the United 
Society of Christian Endeavor to its societies, being 
a "bureau of information, providing a common 
platform for conference and discussion, opening 
springs of enthusiasm for the local societies." 

The headquarters of the Union are at No. 324 
Dearborn street, Chicago. Its official organ is "The- 
Baptist Union," published weekly, edited by the 
General Secretary, Rev. E. E. Chivers, D.D. The 



38 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 

President is Mr. John H. Chapman, Chicago. Its 
estimated membership is 500,000. 

III. The Luther League. 

In no denomination of the American Church was 
the social influence of an efficient Young People's 
Society more needed than among* the Luther- 
ans. From comparatively small dimensions, this 
denomination has grown, within a few decades, to 
be one of the most numerous of the American sects. 
It has been aggrandized by a great tide of immi- 
gration, in which have mingled currents from four 
principal nations, Teutonic and Scandinavian. Its 
new recruits are under the necessity, within a 
generation or two, of unlearning their ancestral 
language and learning English; and the danger is 
a grave one that in this transition, losing hold of 
patriotic and family traditions, they will make ship- 
wreck of faith. But even if faith is saved, there is 
danger that the German or Scandinavian immi- 
grant, in becoming American, will lose his hold 
upon the church relations of his ancestors. And in 
the case of the Lutheran Church, there is more 
to lose than in the case of some others. There is 
a great treasure of hymnody, the richest in Chris- 
tendom, which must in any case be almost a total 
loss in the process of translation. But, besides this, 
there is a great history, reaching back into the ages 
before the Reformation ; and a church polity which 
combines to a remarkable extent the elements of 
episcopal and classical authority and of congrega- 
tional liberty ; and a definite and characteristic the- 



YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 39 

ology, the ripe fruit of many generations of the 
highest scholarship; and venerable liturgical tradi- 
tions, the outgrowth both of the studies of theo- 
logians and of the experience of saints. The lead- 
ers of the Lutheran Church in America have other 
and nobler reasons than those arising from mere 
sectarian emulation, when they study methods of 
organization that shall hold the youth of their con- 
gregations in social union, and promote their in- 
terest in the history, the worship and the activities 
of the Lutheran communion. 

The Luther League of America was organized at 
Pittsburg, Pa., in 1895, by delegates representing 
State, District and individual organizations from 
twenty different States in the Union and the Dis- 
trict of Columbia. It fused the elements of move- 
ments that had been in progress for eight years. 
Article II of its constitution reads: "We acknowl- 
edge as the bond of our Union the Word of God 
as the only infallible rule of faith and practice, and 
the Unaltered Augsburg Confession as the correct 
exponent of that Word." 

It receives into membership "any society of what- 
ever name connected with a Lutheran congrega- 
tion or a Lutheran institution of learning." It holds 
biennial conventions, and its interests are com- 
mitted to an Executive Committee., and to a Statis- 
tical Secretary, who promotes the organization and 
growth of local societies. It has belonging to it 
twelve State Leagues, besides three District 
Leagues in States not organized. Its President is 
Mr. E. F. Eilert, New York City. The Statistical 



40 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 

Secretary is Mr. George M. Jones, of Reading, Pa. 
Its Treasurer, and Business Manager of the official 
organ, "The Luther League Review/' a monthly 
paper, published in Washington, D. C, and edited 
by the President, is Cornelius Eckhardt. The 
headquarters of the League are at Washington, 
D. C, P. O. Box 133. 

The motto is "Of the Church, by the Church, for 
the Church. " The membership is 50,000. 

IV. The Young People's Christian Union of the 
United Brethren. 

Another organization that has many affiliations 
with the Endeavor Societies is the Young People's 
Christian Union of the United Brethren. This 
was organized at Dayton, Ohio, in 1890, as a com- 
promise between the interdenominational and de- 
nominational ideas. It includes societies of different 
names, many of them being Christian Endeavor So- 
cieties. Such societies adopt the prayer-meeting 
pledge and consecration meeting of the Endeavor 
Societies, and are entitled to membership in the 
Union upon paying an annual due of one dollar, 
and adopting certain Articles in the model or sug- 
gested Constitution put forth by the Union, which 
Articles require loyalty to the discipline and usages 
of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ. 

The headquarters of the Union are at the United 
Brethren Publishing House, Dayton, Ohio. It 
publishes a weekly paper, "The Watchword," and 
has a "Watchword" agent in every local Society. 
Its membership exceeds 75,000. Its President is 



YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 41 

Rev. J. P. Landis, D.D., Ph. D. Its Corresponding 
Secretary is Rev. H. F. Shupe. The motto is "For 
the Glory of God and the Salvation of Men." 

V. The Young People's Christian Union of the Uni- 
versalist Church. 

It was a realization of the lack of interest in its 
young people that led the General Convention of 
the Universalist Church to establish in 1886 the 
Young People's Missionary Association, to raise 
money for the general church work. A few So- 
cieties were formed and were partially successful. 
They lacked spontaneity, however. There were 
other young people's societies, but none whose 
avowed work was spiritual. "The Young People's 
Christian Union is a lineal descendant of the Young 
People's Society of Christian Endeavor, and not of 
the Young People's Missionary Association." It 
was organized at Lynn, Mass., in 1889, as the result 
of inquiries instituted by the Y. P. S. C. E. of the 
Universalist Church, Bay City, Mich. It was hoped 
that the denominational organization might take 
the name of the Y. P. S. C. E. But failing in that, 
the present name was adopted, the Young People's 
Christian Union of the Universalist Church. The 
object of the national organization is "to foster the 
religious life among the young people, to stimulate 
to all worthy endeavor, to train the young to the 
work of the Universalist Church, in the promulga- 
tion of its truth, and the increase of its power and 
influence." Its affairs are managed by an Execu- 



42 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 

tive Board, consisting of a President, Secretary and 
Treasurer, holding office for one year, and of four 
delegates holding office for two years, and ineligible 
for re-election. Its friendly attitude toward the Y. 
P. S. C. E. at the first — many of its young people's 
societies having been organized on that plan — was 
expressive of its willingness to co-operate with 
others. Its eighth annual convention — Detroit, 
1897 — resolved "that we approve and encourage all 
endeavors in the direction of co-operation and sym- 
pathy between our local State and National young 
people's organizations, and the young people's or- 
ganization of any church whatsoever, especially as 
manifest in union meetings designed to contribute 
to mutual understanding and inspiration and prac- 
tical relief work." 

Its Executive Board at the same convention rec- 
ommended "that an invitation be issued to young 
people's organizations in the other liberal Christian 
churches to select the time and place of their next 
convention at the same time and place selected for 
the next session of the Y. P. C. U. convention, and 
that at least one union mass-meeting be held, ad- 
dressed by a representative from each organization, 
and we also recommend that in local work the spirit 
of co-operation shall be fostered, especially along 
the lines of Christian citizenship and charity work." 

The Union holds annual conventions. It has 
started, and fostered and enlarged a movement in 
the direction of church extension in the South, be- 
ginning at Harriman and Knoxville, Tenn., and 
extending to Atlanta, Ga. It had a religious and 



YOUNG PEOPLE ; S SOCIETIES. 43 

educational exhibit at the Atlanta Cotton Exposi- 
tion, in 1895, and at the Nashville Centennial Ex- 
hibition, in 1897. It intends ultimately to reach 
and benefit the negro, but only in separate organiza- 
tions. Its influence has already extended to Japan. 
Through its Post Office Mission and Loan Li- 
braries it seeks "to get Universalist literature into 
the hands of those who know not our interpretation 
of the Christian religion, especially in parts of the 
country where we have no organization." 

Its National Secretary, in his report at Detroit 
in 1897, set forth the work of the Union, as 
follows : 

"To recapitulate : the National Union, as a busi- 
ness organization, collects, makes record of, and 
disburses funds amounting, in the aggregate last 
year, to more than $6,000. It is the owner of a 
newspaper, the only one in the denomination which 
is owned by our people, whose policy is shaped by 
the people and its editors named by them. 

"It has a Christian Citizenship Department, which 
means that we, who have such high conceptions 
of human brotherhood, intend to give our beloved 
country the benefit of our lofty ideals. 

"We have a Post Office Mission, thanks to those 
in whose minds originated the idea. Through this 
means we design to make of every Christian 
Unioner, through the distribution of our literature, 
a messenger of our faith, and the leaves of this tree 
are for the healing of the nations. 

"We have a Junior Department second in im- 
portance to none. It enlists the little ones in the 



44 YOUNG PEOPLES. SOCIETIES. 

service of God and humanity through the agency of 
the Church. 

"And we have our Church Extension Depart- 
ment, designed to give our young people training 
in the missionary spirit and method, and to extend 
the organization of our Church. 

"We have our great Conventions as generators 
of wisdom, enthusiasm, courage and power. And 
all of this has meant work." 

The headquarters of the Union are at the Uni- 
versalist Publishing House, No. 30 West street, 
Boston. Its President is Mr. H. M. Fowler, Cleve- 
land. 

Its Secretary is Rev. A. J. Cardall, Boston. 

It has two Department Superintendents : 

Christian Citizenship — Rev. C. A. Knicker- 
bocker, Auburn Me. 

Junior Work — Mary Grace Canfield, Dover, Me. 

Its official organ is "Onward," a weekly paper, 
published at Boston, edited by Rev. E. G. Mason, 
Hightstown, N. J. 

The membership is about 12,000. 



CHAPTER V. 

THE BROTHERHOODS. 

I. The Brotherhood of St. Andrew. 

There was a double reason, amid the general 
multiplication of young people's organizations, for 
expecting a special type of such organization in the 
Protestant Episcopal Church ; First, this denomi- 



YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 45 

nation has shown an exceptional aptitude and 
zeal for the work of the church in city populations, 
where the work among young people is specially 
needed ; secondly, it has also shown itself less in- 
clined than some other communions to unite with 
those outside of its own pale. It seemed for a time as 
if the swelling tide of "Christian Endeavor'' which 
affected the whole estate of Christ's Militant Church 
beside, was failing to lift this important and useful 
denomination. But in October, 1886, the representa- 
tives of twenty local societies that had been formed 
in as many parishes in different regions met in 
Chicago, and organized a general Brotherhood 
of St. Andrew, "on the basis of a constitution which 
has never been materially changed." The growth 
and development of the Brotherhood has fully 
answered the hopes of those who founded it. At 
its fifth annual convention, in Philadelphia, Octo- 
ber, 1890, 433 Chapters were reported, with a mem- 
bership of over 6,500. In March, 1897, there were 
1,223 Chapters, with a pledged membership of 
about 13,000 men. "The Brotherhood had devel- 
oped from a loosely tied band of church guilds into 
an Order of laymen in the Protestant Episcopal 
Church, divided for local work and administration 
into parochial Chapters. Further, the Chapters 
had confederated themselves into Assemblies with- 
in State or diocesan, or more narrowly circum- 
scribed boundaries ; sixty-four of these Assemblies 
were enumerated. The Order had extended itself 
into Canada and Australia, and had begun to take 
root in England." 



46 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 

The annual conventions of the Order have been 
occasions of great interest and practical value. The 
first international conference of the Brotherhood 
was held at Buffalo, in October, 1897, was dis- 
tinguished by the presence and participation of 
eminent men of different lands, and by an excellent 
spirit of devotion and service. 

The Brotherhood of St. Andrew is frankly sec- 
tarian. It "works in and for that branch of the 
Holy Catholic Church known as the Protestant 
Episcopal Church in the United States of America, 
and only by the approval and under the leadership 
of the clergy. " But within these limitations, it aims 
with great sincerity and earnestness at "the spread 
of Christ's kingdom among young men;" and by 
the very fact of its vigorous growth in its own soil 
and within its own pale, it has much to contribute, 
by example and suggestion, to the work of all such 
societies, throughout the whole Church. In the 
later chapters of this Hand-book, devoted to details 
of practical work, few pages will be found of greater 
interest and value than those which describe the 
methods of the Brotherhood of St. Andrew. 

The headquarters of the Brotherhood in the 
United States are at the Church Missions House, 
No. 281 Fourth avenue, New York. Its President 
is Mr. James L. Houghteling, Chicago. Its Gen- 
eral Secretary is Mr. John W. Wood, New York. 
The official organ is "Saint Andrew's Cross," pub- 
lished monthly. In the Appendix will be found a 
Declaration of Its Essential Principles, put forth 
at Washington, D, C., in 1894, to serve as a basis 



YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 47 

of union for like Orders that had sprung up in 
Canada, Scotland and Australia. 
The membership is 13,000. 

II. The Daughters of the King. 

The Protestant Episcopal "Brotherhood of St. 
Andrew" has its field of work exclusively among 
young men. Naturally, it required to be supple- 
mented by an Order organized among women for 
the benefit of women. Such an Order took its 
origin in 1885, in a young women's Bible class in 
a New York church, that had taken to itself the 
fanciful name of "Daughters of the King." This 
was in 1885. Closely similar to the Brotherhood 
of St. Andrew in its methods and in its double rule 
of prayer and service, it undertook "that each mem- 
ber should make an earnest effort each week to 
bring at least one woman within the hearing of the 
Gospel of Jesus Christ." The example was imi- 
tated elsewhere. At the end of ten years, in 1896, 
it numbered upwards of 500 Chapters and 11,697 
members. "Members are admitted with a solemn 
service before the altar, invested with the cross, and 
pledged by a vow to prayer and service. The sole 
object of the Order is the spread of Christ's king- 
dom among women and the strengthening of parish 
life." A Bible-class is "the corner-stone of all Chap- 
ters." The Order holds its annual National Con- 
vention, and publishes the "The Royal Cross" as 
its official organ. 

The "Daughters of the King" is not to be con- 



4§ YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 

founded with the Order of "The King's Daugh- 
ters," which is elsewhere described, The "Daugh- 
ters of the King" is rigorously limited by the lines 
of the Protestant Episcopal denomination. "The 
King's Daughters" is organized on a basis of more 
catholic fellowship. In this country there are 
chapters of the former in every diocese and a large 
proportion of parishes. An effort is made to keep 
all social features of every sort in abeyance ; also to 
exalt the personal element and minimize ecclesiasti- 
cal corporate life. It has recently been introduced 
into England. The Secretary of the American 
Branch is Miss E. L. Ryerson, 520 East Eighty- 
seventh street, New York. 

III. Brotherhood of Andrew and Philip. 

The Brotherhood of Andrew and Philip is an 
adaptation to a wider fellowship of the organiza- 
tion and methods of the Brotherhood of St. Andrew. 
The Rev. Rufus W. Miller, associate pastor of the 
Second Reformed Church, of Reading, Pa., felt the 
need of some organization for the young men of 
his own congregation. The Two Rules, of Prayer 
and Service, adopted by the Brotherhood of St. 
Andrew, seemed to him a good foundation to build 
on. In May, 1888, he organized in his own church 
the first Chapter of the Brotherhood of Andrew 
and Philip. The organization attracted favorable 
attention in his own denomination ; Chapters mul- 
tiplied ; conventions were held; a monthly journal 
was instituted. At the convention of 1890, "be- 
cause of the favorable attitude of congregations 



YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 49 

outside of the Reformed Church, it was decided to 
recommend the formation of Brotherhood Chap- 
ters in each denomination, subject to the control of 
the particular denomination, and the union of these 
denominational organizations in a Federation of 
Brotherhoods. This action was taken in the in- 
terest of surer progress, greater denominational 
control, and true Church unity." The first Federal 
Convention of the Order was held in New York, 
November, 1893, and gave increased publicity and 
impetus to the movement. In 1895, it was officially 
announced : "The following denominations — the 
two Branches of the Reformed Church, the Presby- 
terian, North and South, the Canadian and the 
United Presbyterian, the Congregational, the 
Methodist Protestant, Methodist Episcopal, Bap- 
tist, English Lutheran, United Brethren — are now 
represented in some two hundred and ninety en- 
rolled Chapters, with* a membership of 7,000. An 
equally large number have been organized, but have 
not applied for enrolment. The latest obtainable 
statistics show, in 1898, 431 Chapters, in 19 de- 
nominations and 32 States, with a membership 
estimated from 10,000 to 14,000. The organ of the 
Fraternity, "The Brotherhood Star/ 5 has grown 
from four pages to a monthly magazine of 32 pages 
octavo. In its organization (excepting the Federa- 
tion of Denominations) and in its methods, the 
Brotherhood of Andrew and Philip is patterned in 
close imitation of the Brotherhood of St. Andrew, 
from which its name also is taken. It is a high 
tribute to the excellence of that organization. 



50 YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 

Its principles and methods of work have found 
place in other Orders, through the work of Brother- 
hood committees made a part of their organiza- 
tion. This interaction is especially noticeable with 
reference to the Christian Endeavor Societies. 

Its advantages over similar Brotherhoods lie in 
its "catholicity and its simplicity." It holds bien- 
nial Federal Conventions and annual Denomina- 
tional Conventions. 

IV. Brotherhood of St. Paul 

We learn from a statement made on behalf of its 
Advisory Board, that the Brotherhood of St. Paul 
is an organization of Methodist men, having for 
its object systematic Christian work by and for men 
under the direction of the Church, and the exer- 
cise of fraternal offices on the part of members for 
each other. It admits moral "men of any age over 
fifteen to an initiatory degree, and provides other 
degrees for Church members in full connection, 
with ritual services to be used as desired. It has 
three departments of work, with duties plainly speci- 
fied, many of which are not covered by any other 
existing church society. It is not secret ; it is thor- 
oughly spiritual and easily adaptable to local con- 
ditions. Its flexibility is shown in the fact that all 
its forms and services may be used or not by local 
chapters, provided Christian and brotherly duties 
are undertaken. 

It does not claim to be a young men's organiza- 
tion, but a Fraternity for Methodist men of all 



YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 5 I 

ages. In its ritual and regalia it is adapted "to 
satisfy a craving that now finds expression in all 
sorts of non-Christian societies ranging in character 
from good to bad. Of all the societies in the 
Church so far, no Protestant society has this feature 
so well developed/' 

The membership is divided into three divisions : 

1. An Order of Jerusalem — For all new members 
and those not Christians. 

2. An Order of Damascus — For Christian men, 
members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. 

3. An Order of Rome — For advanced and ad- 
vancing Christians. 

The Order is non-secret, non-political. 

It emphasizes the spiritual and social lines of 
work. It has mutual benefit insurance features. It 
is loyal to the Pastor and the local church and seeks 
to supplement the work of the Epworth League. 
"It has the cordial approbation of prominent mem- 
bers of the League." It has quadrupled its mem- 
bership within the past year, and is now represented 
in more than twenty States. Its annual convention 
for 1899 was held in Syracuse, N. Y., in which State 
it started about four years ago. 

Its object and principles are thus set "forth in its 
Constitution : 

OBJECT. 

The purpose of the Brotherhood of St. Paul is'to effect 
the mutual improvement and entertainment of its members 
by religious, social, physical and literary culture, to pro- 
mote the spirit and practice of Christian brotherhood, to 



52 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 

build up the church with which we are connected, and 
especially to extend Christ's cause in the world by winning 
our brothers to a Christian faith. 



PRINCIPLES. 

We accept Christ as our Great Commander, Example 
and Saviour, and St. Paul as the leader of our division of 
Christ's army. They are our types of manly character. 

We declare loyalty to the Methodist Episcopal Church, 
to its laws, its pastors and its lay officiary, and to the Scrip- 
ture doctrines upon which it is founded. 

The high aims of its members are thus declared 
in words frequently repeated at the opening or 
closing of its meetings : 

We will seek daily the noblest Christian manhood. 
We will devote our lives to the cause of Jesus on earth. 
We will be loyal to the Church, and will keep her rules. 
We will know more of the Bible, and be proud to carry 

and use it. 
We will be educated churchmen, making good use of 

our church papers and of the publications of our 

Methodist Book Concern. 
We will esteem them that are over us in the Church very 

highly in love for their work's sake. 
We will be true brothers, seeking to protect each other's 

reputation and to advance each other's interests. 
We will be Christians everywhere, and in all the relations 

of life, social, business, political, religious. 
We will take an all-round interest in every good cause, 

and especially in missions, church-building, education, 

and the care of veterans and the sick. 
We will pray daily, and will labor to save lost men, and 

to increase the numbers of them who shall be under 

the influence of our Church. 



YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. S3 

The scope of its work is seen in the following 
synopsis taken from its Ritual and Constitution: 

Christian Work. 

Attendance at means of grace. 

Men's devotional services. 

Welcoming at church doors. 

Systematic personal work. 

Invitations to devotional services. 

Neighborhood and cottage meetings. 

Religious census. 

Revival assistance. 

Bible Study Club for men. 

Attendance at men's Sunday-school classes. 

Knights of St. Paul, where organized. 

Temperance, Missions, Christian Citizenship, Personal 

Purity, and all benevolent and moral causes. 
Training classes in Christian methods. 
Increasing circulation of religious papers and books. 

Social. 

Invitations to Brotherhood meetings. 

Looking up and introduction of strangers. 

Debates and discussions of practical, religious and 

literary character. 
Parliamentary clubs and programs. 
Programs under "Good of the Order" at Chapter 

Meetings. 
Lectures and entertainments. 
Welcome and social care of new members. 
Outings and receptions. 
Promote brotherly spirit everywhere in the Church. 

Membership. 

Securing new members. 
Visitation of the sick. 
Night-watchers, if needed. 



54 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 

Care of regalia and other property of the Chapter. 
Inspection and oversight of membership roll. 
Initiations and preparation for the same. 

It provides for work among boys by declaring 
that "a Junior Branch of boys under fifteen years 
of age may be organized, as desired, and they shall 
be called Knights of St. Paul." 

Its influence has been for good. It is stated as 
"a remarkable fact that almost all churches where 
the Brotherhood of St. Paul exists had a good re- 
vival last year," that "the drift of men to secular 
societies has been turned to the Church," and many 
pastors hail it as a suggestion of that full, true fra- 
ternity which the Gospel stands for, and which is 
but feebly and imperfectly expressed by the various 
fraternities outside the Church of Christ. 

The work of the several Chapters is carried on 
largely through the regular church meetings. The 
Brotherhood "provides a body of helpers, who can 
be called on as desired, and who are constantly ready 
to make Church brotherhood a fact as well as a 



name." 



Its founder and general organizer is the Rev. F. 
D. Leete, Rochester, N. Y. 

Its literature is issued from the publishing house 
of Eaton & Mains, Syracuse, N. Y. 

Its motto is "Faithful Brethren in Christ," Col. 
i : 2. St. Paul is its patron saint, because, "he was 
essentially a 'men's man.' His life and distin- 
guished services are full inspiration and example 
to men. There is great incentive to Bible study, 



YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 55 

missions, personal work, evangelization, and high 
striving after noble character and attainments under 
the spell of such a name. He especially taught 
brotherhood and its offices as no other man has 
since Jesus. Almost every experience of his life is 
full of symbolical meaning, and is akin to what men 
of to-day must meet." 



56 young people's societies. 

PART II, 
PRACTICAL. 



CHAPTER VI. 

TYPES of constitution. 

In preparing for the organization of a young 
people's society in any community, one of the first 
points to be considered will be the question, which 
one, if any, of the prevailing types of Constitution 
shall be followed? and with which, if any, of the 
confederacies of such associations shall the new so- 
ciety be allied? These questions will be decided 
in part by the purpose in view in the minds of those 
who are planning the new society. It is most de- 
sirable that these should know their own minds on 
this point with entire distinctness. 

If the primary and governing purpose is to com- 
bine the young people for unselfish service to others 
"In His Name," this is the distinctive character of 
the "Ten-Times-One Clubs/' "Lend-a-Hand Clubs," 
and whatever other associations are combined in a 
loose confederation or correspondence through the 
Ten Times One Corporation. If any are scru- 
pulous to avoid association in works of charity 
with those of whose theological views they dis- 
approve, they may find it necessary to avoid 
affiliation with these clubs, which are quite 



YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 57 

careless on this point, and have been known to 
unite in doing good works in the Name of Christ 
with people of all kinds of faith, or sometimes 
of very little faith of any kind. 

Such scrupulous persons will like better such a 
society as "The King's Daughters and Sons/' 
which, although inspired by the principles and lit- 
erature of the "Ten Times One," invites co-opera- 
tion only on an Evangelical basis, and aims to asso- 
ciate with charitable effort for others, methods of 
spiritual self-culture and of worship. 

If now the primary purpose of the Society is the 
good of its own members, if it is desired to identify 
it with the church-congregation to which they be- 
long, and especially if it is desired to profit by the 
enthusiasm and momentum of vast numbers mov- 
ing in the same general direction, then the Society 
should be formed on the lines of the Christian 
Endeavor Society, either in its original form or in 
some one of the forms in which it has been special- 
ized for the service of the various Christian sects. 

A work even more narrowly specialized is that 
proposed by the Brotherhood of St. Andrew, which 
not only limits itself to a single sect, but to one 
class of persons, the young men ; while "The 
Daughters of the King" (not to be confounded with 
"The King's Daughters") undertakes a correspond- 
ingly limited work among young women. The 
methods of the Brotherhood of St. Andrew are 
adapted to more catholic use by the Brotherhood of 
Andrew and Philip. 

The Brotherhood of St. Paul is a Methodist Epis- 



58 YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 

copal Order of similar meaning and of recent 
date. 

Still further specialized are the organizations that 
limit their work to some one department of benefi- 
cent work. Of these the most extensive and effi- 
cient is the Young Women's Christian Temperance 
Union, which, however, does not so narrowly in- 
terpret its title as to debar itself from usefulness 
on neighboring and parallel lines of service. 

The organization of Boys' Clubs into fraternities 
on a continental scale has made comparatively little 
progress. The Boys' Brigade, an importation from 
Great Britain, has been in some measure acclimated 
in America; but has encountered two objections 
from opposite quarters : the Peace Society objects 
to it as promoting a military spirit ; and those inter- 
ested in the militia service oppose it on the ground 
that with its drills and parades the boys become 
satiated with martial glory and will not join the 
militia when they get to be young men. An or- 
ganization of a different character is "The Knights 
of King Arthur/' "an Order of knighthood for boys 
based upon a long and careful study of the problem 
of helping boys to become worthy men." It seems 
to be successful. "Although the second Castle was 
only organized in the Fall of 1893, the Order is 
now (Spring of 1898) found in ten religious denomi- 
nations, in half the American States, and has spread 
to Canada and England." It is distinguished by an 
elaborate system of titles, degrees and rituals. 

"The Girls' Friendly Society" is an organization 
bearing so many marks of its British origin as to 



YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 59 

suggest grave doubts of its effective usefulness in 
American communities, without considerable modi- 
fication. Its function for girls, especially for work- 
ing girls, is similar to that undertaken for boys by 
the Boys' Clubs of various names. 

In recognizing thus the distinctive characters of 
the various young people's organizations, we are 
not to suppose these distinctions to be of an ex- 
clusive sort. The Ten-Times-One Clubs are de- 
voted to practical benevolence ; but they are founded 
on these evangelical principles, so strikingly illus- 
trated in Dr. Hale's writings, that the way to pro- 
mote the good of one's own soul is not to seek for 
it — that he that will save his own soul shall lose it — 
that one who self- forgetting seeks to promote 
God's reign and His justice will find all things 
added unto him ; and that the highest act of spiritual 
worship consists in kindness to the afflicted, and 
keeping one's self unspotted from the world. Thus, 
the development of the Ten-Times-One Clubs into 
the Order of the King's Daughters and Sons is a 
perfectly natural evolution. 

On the other hand, the Christian Endeavor So- 
cieties start from the converse but equally evan- 
gelical principle that good deeds should spring from 
a pure and good heart, and the fundamental rules 
of the Order are addressed to the object of bringing 
the heart right before God, with the assurance that 
out of a heart thus conformed to Christ must flow 
forth streams of good and loving service towards 
men. 

There is nothing mutually antagonistic in these 



60 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 

two different views; they indicate nothing more 
than differences in proportion and emphasis and the 
order of thinking. But the varying adjustment of 
these mutually complementary principles gives rise 
to wide diversities of details in method. On the 
question of such details we shall have much to say 
in later pages. At present let us give attention to 
those matters in which the various young people's 
organizations have a common concern. Standing 
related to the rules and activities of the societies 
are inseparable dangers, against which it is well to 
be forewarned and forearmed. 



CHAPTER VII. 

PLEDGE, COVENANT OR VOW. 

The mutual engagement that holds individuals 
together in any such organization may be informal 
and implied rather than explicit, as in the loosest 
of the Lend-a-Hand Clubs ; or it may be a solemn 
and specific formality, as in the Christian Endeavor 
Societies. In either case, it is constitutive, and gives 
character to the association which it creates. We 
can not better set forth the things that need to be 
said concerning it, than by citing the best known 
form of pledge — that of the Christian Endeavor So- 
cities — which has been taken by millions of young 
persons in this and other countries, and hangs dis- 
played in large characters on the walls of thousands 
of chapels and Sunday-school rooms. 



YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 6l 

ACTIVE MEMBER'S PLEDGE. 

Trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ for strength, I prom- 
ise Him that I will strive to do whatever He would like 
to have me do; that I will make it the rule of my life to 
pray and to read the Bible every day, and to support my 
own Church in every way, especially by attending all the 
regular Sunday and mid-week services, unless prevented 
by some reason which I can conscientiously give to my 
Saviour, and that just so far as I know how, throughout 
my whole life, I will endeavor to lead a Christian life. 

As an active member, I promise to be true to all my 
duties, to be present at and to take some part, aside from 
singing, in every Christian Endeavor prayer-meeting, un- 
less hindered by some reason which I can conscientiously 
give to my Lord and Master. If obliged to be absent from 
the monthly consecration meeting of the Society, I will, if 
possible, send at least a verse of Scripture to be read in 
response to my name at the roll-call. 

The first remark to be made upon this form is the 
obvious one that it is essentially an oath. The 
solemn nature of it ought not in the slightest degree 
to be veiled from those who are invited to take upon 
themselves the obligation of it. It is so very easy 
to draw the young in a popular current to take 
pledges ; and so easy for them, as soon as the prom- 
ised duties become irksome, to fail of fulfilling 
them. It was a wise man who said, "It is better 
not to vow, than to vow and not pay/' The danger 
is not a trifling one, it is most serious, that young 
hearts, obeying a generous impulse and an indis- 
criminate invitation, will enter "lightly and unad- 
visedly" into engagements from which they by and 
by come forth bearing in their hearts the demoraliz- 



62 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 

ing consciousness of broken vows. It is far better 
that they should be discouraged from assuming 
the obligation, even though the society should 
thereby be diminished or frustrated, than that 
they should be drawn into the obligations incon- 
siderately. 

This danger is diminished just in proportion as 
the pledge is restricted to such duties as without 
the pledge are of recognized and constant obliga- 
tion on the conscience. The soul which, trusting 
in the Lord, is resolved to "do whatever He would 
like/' and to "endeavor to live a Christian life/' can 
take no harm, may take great spiritual good, from 
joining with others in putting on record a solemn 
vow to that effect. The vow does no more than re- 
inforce an obligation from which, vow or no vow, 
the soul can not withdraw itself. 

On the other hand, the spiritual life may lose its 
freedom in the bonds of Jesus Christ, and grow 
sickly under constraints imposed by another. That 
clause, for example, in the pledge of the Epworth 
League which reads, "I will abstain from all those 
forms of worldly amusement forbidden by the dis- 
cipline of the Methodist Episcopal Church, " has 
caused many to stumble. It would be much better 
if, as some Methodist leaders are now arguing, the 
law of one's own Christian conscience were appealed 
to here, rather than the discipline of a particular 
sect. 

As to such points in any form of pledge that may 
be devised, as are not, in themselves, of constant 
and universal obligation, it is demanded by good 



YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 63 

morals that they should not be fixed by a perpetual, 
irrevocable vow ; the pledge must be made distinctly 
terminable, otherwise it becomes a spiritual snare. 
It has been one of the shrewd and just criticisms 
of Roman Catholic theologians on the vows de- 
vised for certain Protestant "sisterhoods" organized 
in imitation of the Catholic conventual system, that 
they provide for no "dispensing power" that may 
release from the vows when duty demands such re- 
lease. However willing, or even eager, young 
people may be to bind themselves forever to cer- 
tain arbitrary rules of conduct, provision ought to 
be made for their honorably withdrawing from that 
part of the compact. It is not enough that they may 
be "dropped from the list" as unfaithful ; or that 
saving clauses are inserted into the formula, that 
may be used as loopholes to creep out by. It really 
has a tendency to invigorate the vitality of the 
pledge, if it is seen that, instead of neglecting it for 
private reasons satisfactory to the private con- 
science, men hold it a duty distinctly to withdraw 
from it, when the conduct required seems no longer 
to be a duty in itself. But it is important that pro- 
vision for such withdrawal should be "nominated 
in the bond" at the beginning. 

Finally, it must be evident to every intelligent 
person that a pledge such as that which has been 
quoted is a full and unreserved testimony of Chris- 
tian faith and discipleship. It is nothing short of 
a "sacramentum," or oath of allegiance, by which 
one is mustered into the army of the Lord, and 
vowed to be "his faithful servant and soldier till 



64 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 

life's end." Few, indeed, would be the Christian 
churches (if such could be reckoned worthy of the 
name of churches) that would fail to claim those 
making such a pledge as entitled to full fellowship. 
But, though entitled to full fellowship, there are 
some young people who "believe themselves to be 
Christians," who, for various reasons, either because 
of a natural shrinking from making confession of 
their faith before the Church, or because of the ad- 
vice or wishes of their elders, are not yet in a situ- 
ation to join the Church, but are glad to join the 
Society. These may be regarded as in the King- 
dom, but not in the Church. For them the taking 
of the active member's pledge affords the oppor- 
tunity to acknowledge Christ and to begin work 
for Him, while at the same time "it bridges the 
dangerous gap between conversion and Church 
membership, which is often a long one in the case 
of young disciples, an interval when many stray 
away and are lost forever to the Church and the 
cause of Christ." 

With the coming in of Junior and Intermediate 
Societies to meet the needs and aspirations of the 
younger people, it may be wise to restrict active 
membership in the young people's society to those 
who are already members of the Church. The best 
and most effective societies are doing it. And it is 
still an open question, after all that has been said 
about it, whether the laxer interpretation has not 
weakened the spiritual power of the societies, as 
well as unduly, though unintentionally, widened the 
dangerous gap above referred to, and led many 



YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 65 

young Christians to be content with membership 
in the Society. 

Some liberty in the matter should be granted, 
especially where there is but one Endeavor Society 
in the church, and which will probably contain many 
who are quite young, but it is believed that if the 
Young People's Societies of Christian Endeavor 
would follow the interpretation of active member- 
ship given in the Baptist Union and the Christian 
Union of the United Brethren, it would be a dis- 
tinct gain. 

CHAPTER VIII. 

SAVING ONE'S OWN SOUL. 

It is possible that the pursuit of the interests of 
the soul, which is commonly one of the objects 
proposed in a Young People's Society, may become 
a peril and a snare. It is not only possible, but it 
is a danger so grave as to have been made by our 
great Master and Teacher the occasion of a warn- 
ing to which w T e shall do well to take heed. 

So little disposed are people, whether young or 
old, to accept His teaching on this point, that not 
only is it neglected or mistaken, but the very lan- 
guage of it is systematically garbled in the common 
English translations, in such a way as to convey a 
sense contrary to that which the words intend. We 
read, in the "Authorized Version," the words of our 
Lord in Matthew xvi, 25, 26*, and seem to learn 

*" Whosoever shall save his life shall lose it; and whoso- 
ever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what 



66 young people's societies. 

from them of two human possessions, one of which, 
the life, we are willingly to risk for the cause of 
Christ; the other, the soul, is too precious to be 
risked, but is rather to be cherished and saved by 
us as being of more worth than all the world. The 
lesson commonly derived from this saying of Christ 
is this : that we ought bravely to venture our lives 
in the service of God's kingdom ; but that we ought 
studiously to avoid imperiling the soul, but rather 
to make the saving of it the main end of our life. 

The true meaning of our Lord's teaching is made 
to appear when we recognize that the text speaks, 
not of two different things, but of one and the same 
thing. The supremely precious thing, for which 
the world were well lost, is the very thing which we 
are warned against trying to save, under peril thus 
of losing it. So contrasted is the preaching of the 
Lord Jesus Christ with the preaching of m&ny of 
his representatives in later times. We do well to 
go back to the original words of the Gospel, in their 
recovered real meaning, and be warned of the dan- 



is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world and lose 
his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for 
his soul." 

The mistranslation of this passage has persisted through 
successive English versions from the days of Wiclif down 
to the beginning of the Westminster revision, which 
reads: "Whosoever would save his life shall lose it; and 
whosoever shall lose his life for my sake shall find it. 
For what shall a man be profited, if he shall gain the 
whole world, and forfeit his life? or what shall a man give 
in exchange for his life?" 



YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 67 

ger of making ourselves the object of our religious 
services. 

Perhaps there is no danger of the immediate re- 
turn of that habit of unwholesome introspection 
and self-analysis which has prevailed like an epi- 
demic in earlier generations and down to a recent 
time. The reaction from this is strong, possibly 
excessive. The best security against the tendency 
to a wrong direction of the religious thoughts and 
activities, is to give them ample exercise in the 
right direction. The two principles that should be 
studied in the talking and working of a Young 
People's Society are objective truth and altru- 
istic service : objective truth, as distinguished from 
the contemplation of inward emotions and experi- 
ences; and altruistic service, as distinguished from 
that sort of charity which "seeketh her own/' The 
exhortation and instruction that are intent mainly 
on getting our own soul saved ; the charitable activ- 
ity that is directed to the advantage of our society, 
our congregation, or our sect, are apt not to be 
clear of selfishness ; and this is a thing that taints 
the* very fountain-heads of spiritual life. If the re- 
ligion that is in us is selfishness, how great is that 
selfishness ! 

In a Young People's Meeting on a Sunday even- 
ing, one may find the great part of the time used 
in a running fire of Scripture verses on the assigned 
theme. If in a critical mood, one will find the 
quotations hackneyed, or inapt; they will prove, 
perhaps, the narrow range of most people's Bible 
reading, or that they have been taken by catch- 



68 young people's societies. 

words from a concordance. But after all deduc- 
tions, they will have brought to all teachable minds 
solid nuggets of divine truth from outside of their 
own experience and imagination and meditation. 
The sharers in the meeting, young or old, will have 
helped each other to rise, for the time, out of them- 
selves, and to contemplate eternal verities, things 
that cannot be moved, the love and the holiness of 
God, and the salvation of Jesus Christ. Such in- 
struction as this is edifying — it builds up the charac- 
ter ; and those who have spent the Sunday afternoon 
in preparing it, in a score of families, albeit with no 
very wide or deep study, have been led into some 
fresh fields of divine instruction. 



CHAPTER IX. 

PRAYER. 



One of the negative causes working in the mind 
of the founder of the Young People's Society of 
Christian Endeavor toward the organizing of that 
wonderful Order, was the felt decay of the Church 
prayer-meeting. In the big history by Dr. F. E. 
Clark, entitled "World-wide Endeavor" is a descrip- 
tion of "the prayer-meeting of old," which is offered 
as "in no sense a caricature." 

When the "usual hour" arrived, a sparse congregation 
of from six to twenty-six would spread themselves out 
over the vestry, occupying as much as possible of the 
floor space, that the poverty of attendance might not be 
too evident. The pastor would give out a long hymn, 






YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 69 

the organist would play the tune all through, chorus and 
all, upon an asthmatic organ; the scattered congregation 
would pipe through five or six verses of the hymn; then 
would come a long prayer from the pastor and an abbrevi- 
ated sermon of from twenty to thirty minutes in length; 
the venerable deacon (God bless him!), who for years 
had borne the burden and heat of the day, would offer a 
long, long prayer, not forgetting the Jews, even though 
he sometimes did forget the commonplace members of the 
Sunday-school connected with his own church. Another 
long hymn and prayer, and the time to close would come, 
much to the relief of the majority of the audience. . . . 

The so-called young people's prayer-meeting was scarce- 
ly more attractive. The attendance was still smaller, and, 
though the average age was somewhat younger than in 
the other prayer-meeting of the church, yet it required 
a great stretch of courtesy and an extensive winking at 
gray hairs and wrinkles to consider the majority of those 
present any longer younger people, except by brevet. The 
only warm place in the room was often found in the air- 
tight stove. One of the more elderly young men usually 
occupied the chair. By no possibility was it a young 
woman, and there were many most excruciating pauses 
which could only be filled up by a frequent resort to the 
over-worked hymn-book. 

Very evidently there was a fault somewhere, and I do 
not hesitate to say that this fault was a radical one, lying 
at the very basis of the prayer-meeting idea in many 
churches. It was a service for instruction rather than for 
inspiration. 

The fault, as we conceive, is even deeper and 
more radical than this. It lies in the decay of faith. 
The Christian doctrine of prayer comes to be held 
with feeble and uncertain grasp. It is that principle 
of the teaching of Christ which is declared with the 
most unmistakable plainness, and sustained by the 



70 YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 

strongest reason, and at the same time, attended 
with the most formidable difficulties and exposed 
to the most unanswerable objections. This is not 
the place in which to discuss the reasons on either 
side and strike the balance. It is sufficient for the 
present purpose to emphasize the statement that 
where the simple and sincere acceptance of the 
teaching of Christ concerning prayer is lacking, 
there will inevitably come in false pretenses of 
prayer, such as cannot be acceptable to the God of 
truth, and such as must tend to the demoralizing of 
those who offer them. 

i. There is the use of prayer as a health-lift. 
It is quite frankly argued, sometimes, in apology 
for prayer, that even if it avails nothing in gaining 
the blessing asked for, it has great value for its 
reaction on the petitioner himself. It brings him 
into right relations with God. When it brings no 
direct answer, it puts the praying soul into the atti- 
tude of submission and resignation to the divine 
will. The man in a boat who pulls hand over hand 
on the rope that is fastened to the dock does not 
stir the dock to draw it nearer to himself, but he 
draws himself nearer to the dock, and this amounts 
practically to the same thing. So, when faith fails, 
we are advised to go through the forms of petition, 
for the good we may do ourselves by the effort. 

2. There is the use -of the forms of prayer as a 
rhetorical device intended to take effect on some 
human listener. Ostensibly it is addressed to the 
Most High. Actually, it is a vehicle for expressing 
to some finite person who may hear it, or hear of 



YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 71 

it, some important religious truths, or impressing 
him with the earnest feelings of Christian people. 
In times of religious revival, the expedient of pray- 
ing publicly by name for individuals is often much 
relied on as an effective instrument of evangeliza- 
tion. But, perhaps the most remarkable instance 
of the use of it is the case of the "Women's Cru- 
sade/' in which earnest women, finding little result 
from their prayers in secret for the abatement of 
the enormous mischiefs of the dram-shop, deter- 
mined to carry their prayers into the very presence 
of the enemy, and went in companies to the saloons, 
resolved that if they were not heard in heaven, they 
should be heard in a lower sphere ; in the spirit of 
an ancient maxim : 

Flectere si nequeo superos, Acheronta movebo.* 

The earnestness and sincerity of those who use 
this method of appeal to the spectator or auditor is, 
in many instances, far beyond question. But the 
form of a petition to the heavenly Father becomes 
almost inevitably, more or less consciously, a 
rhetorical apostrophe, in which an earnest appeal 
to the feelings of a fellow mortal is couched in the 
form of a prayer to God. This perversion of prayer 
cometh of evil, and has a perilously evil tendency. 
It is especially becoming to those who are direct- 
ing the religious exercises and habits of the young 
to beware of anything that may sophisticate the 
simplicity of their approaches to God, or weaken 



*If I cannot bend the powers above, I will move the 
powers below. 



7 2 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 

their straightforward faith in Him as the hearer of 
prayer. 

3. An even worse perversion of social prayer 
is when it becomes a vehicle for the display of pathos 
or eloquence. How easily besetting is the tempta- 
tion in this direction, few can be ignorant, to whose 
duty it has fallen to lead the devotions of others 
at any tinre of deeply excited feeling. The stirrings 
of natural human sympathy at such a time find 
ready utterance in forms of petition, and draw forth 
responses in sighs and tears. To use the occasion 
of prayer as the opportunity of displaying the ten- 
derness and verbal felicity of the leader of prayer 
is a temptation of the adversary — for we are not 
ignorant of his devices. Even the humble and halt- 
ing in speech may not be wholly secure against the 
love of men's approval for a touching, a beautiful, 
an appropriate, an ^eloquent prayer. But to the 
young man of quick sympathy and naturally facile 
speech, the temptation is a perilous one indeed. 

Against all these perversions of prayer, the best 
security is to be found in a clear and "reasonable 
religious faith" in Him that heareth prayer. When 
those who are gathered together in the Lord's 
name agree as touching what they shall ask, and 
ask for it in simplicity and directness, and as seeing 
Him who is invisible, then the greatness of the 
thought of God, and the incoming of the Infinite 
One into the hearts of all, exclude all meaner and 
unworthy thoughts. It is only the heart that is 
preoccupied with right, true and holy thoughts, that 
is safe from the intrusion of others. 



YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 73 

4. It is with a most reasonable apprehension of 
the dangers thuo indicated, that the founders and or- 
ganizers of some societies and orders have thought 
to provide against them by prescribing the form, 
order and language of the devotions to be used 
in the Young People's meetings. It is not to be 
denied that by this means some grave dangers are 
in a measure averted. It is equally obvious that 
some others are incurred. In reading the forms of 
devotion printed for use in such meetings, we may 
admire the decorum and dignity of the language 
prescribed, and the wise and devout judgment with 
which the subjects and objects of prayer are ordered 
and arranged ; but it is obvious that in avoiding one 
class of dangers we expose ourselves to another 
class. It is no imaginary peril that the forms of 
devotion may degenerate (to borrow a phrase from 
the venerable Bishop Westcott, of Durham) into 
nothing more than "solemn music," and the mind 
be taken up with the sense of appropriateness and 
dignity and verbal felicity, when it should be intent 
on the real business of prayer. The studious culti- 
vation of propriety and good taste may be as fatal 
to the spirit of prayer as the neglect of them. 

Altogether the one law that ought to dominate 
this whole subject of the Young People's Meeting 
considered as a prayer-meeting is this : to put out 
the false by bringing in the true. Let the minds of 
the young people be intelligently instructed and 
convinced in the Christian doctrine of prayer, and 
let them be well impressed with a sense of need, 
and then, whatever the forms and methods adopted, 



74 young people's societies. 

the "effectual, fervent prayer" will be offered up, 
and will be divinely answered. 



CHAPTER X, 



SINGING IN THE YOUNG PEOPLE S MEETING. 

There are other uses of music, and other religious 
uses, than the use of it for worship. The neglect 
of this consideration vitiates not a little of the rea- 
soning that is largely bestowed on the subject of 
church music. It has been held that the fact that 
a hymn or song is ill adapted for use in worship 
was enough to exclude it from the church and from 
religious meetings in general — which is a mistake. 

Song is the natural language of emotion, es- 
pecially of the common emotion of an assembly 
of people. Any Christian emotion may be fitly 
uttered in Christian song. There is use for songs 
of fellowship, as well as of songs of worship ; and 
nowhere is the use of them more right and reason- 
able than in the meetings of a Young People's 
Society. There may well be more of them, and 
better. We need not deny, even, that there may 
be found place in such meetings for songs for the 
mere pleasure of the singing, in which the mere 
charms of melody and harmony and responsive 
imitation among the parts shall contribute to the 
enjoyment of those present, and to the attractive- 
ness of the meeting to outsiders. If this object is 
to be aimed at, by all means let it be with distinct, 



YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 75 

conscious intention. If music is the thing sought 
for, let it be good music — that is, good for the use 
to which it is to be applied — and let all requisite 
attention be given, by personal practice and by 
social rehearsal, to music for music's sake. It will 
be a good and pleasant thing in itself, for individuals 
and for the Society; and it will have this conse- 
quence more important than itself, that it will 
familiarize with the use of singing in divine worship, 
which is serious business. 

It is well to repeat this : singing in the worship 
of God is serious business. It is often dealt with 
and talked about as if it was amusement, or "pre- 
liminary" to something, or a convenient padding 
between talks. To those who take most interest in 
it, the interest is prone to become a merely musical 
interest. "Good" singing at a Young People's 
Meeting is apt to mean the singing of a "pretty" 
tune, in a brisk movement, with a good volume of 
voices moving in time and tune, each stanza ending 
with a rattling chorus. There is no harm in these 
musical conditions, if only the company enjoying 
them does not delude itself with the notion that 
thereby it is worshiping God: The use of solemn 
ascriptions of praise in such a way, is a common 
form of "taking the name of the Lord our God in 
vain." It is habitually practised by many who are 
shocked by the coarse "cuss-words" that garnish 
the talk of the street corners. 

That singing in worship is "good singing," which 
unites the thoughts, feelings and voices of the par- 
ticipants in sincere ascriptions of praise to God. 



j6 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 

Whatever tends away from this is bad. Worship 
may be hindered by unmusical or other anti-estheti- 
cal conditions. If there are cacophonies and mis- 
pronunciations — if the organ breaks down, or the 
voices fall from the key, if the tune is a senseless 
jingle, or the hymn is ungrammatical or grotesque, 
some minds are likely to be distracted thereby from 
the act of worship. It is the presence of a divine 
power in the soul that can hold it steadfast to the 
act of praise against such distractions as these. But 
there is another class of distractions not less fatal 
to the spirit of worship, of which we are less apt to 
complain. The charm of individual voices, ex- 
quisite forms of melody or progressions of har- 
mony, strikingly poetic lines in the hymn, even the 
dignity or pathos of historical association in hymn 
or music, or the harmony of a multitude of voices, 
moving us to say, How grand ! or How touching ! 
or How thrilling! — these may just as effectually 
dissipate the attention from the simplicity of wor- 
ship as the opposite conditions. 

A sort of effort that is much in vogue to fix at- 
tention on the hymn, instead of letting it be diverted 
to the singing, is really no help to worship, if it is 
not even a hindrance. Many volumes have been 
written on the history and authorship of hymns, 
and recommended to the use of pastors conducting 
a "praise service/' to enable them to emphasize the 
poetic features of the hymn, or the incidents in its 
history. It is hardly possible thus to fix the mind 
on the medium of worship, without withdrawing 
the mind ; in some measure, from the Object of 



YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 77 

worship. The words of George Herbert have close 
application to this point : 

"A man that looks on glasse, 

On it may stay his eye; 
. Or, if he pleaseth, through it passe, 
And so the heav'n espie." 

These studies of the hymn, and of the tune, and 
of the singing, are all of the nature of a scrutiny 
of the glass, and may easily become an actual 
hindrance to one's communion with heaven. 

This is the conclusion of the matter : In the uses 
of singing for instruction, for fellowship, for musi- 
cal enjoyment, there is room for art and skill and 
rhetorical effect. In the act of worship, let these 
things be forgotten, as the parsing of the sentences 
is forgotten in a prayer ; and let the mind be directed 
with simplicity and godly sincerity toward the su- 
preme Object of worship. 



CHAPTER XI 

SERVICE. 



In the matter of service, also, are dangers to the 
Young People's Society, which may be indicated 
by these two cautions: I, it must not be selfish; 2, 
it must not be priggish. 

1. "Alas, for the rarity of Christian charity, under 
the sun !" Christian charity "seeketh not her own." 
The other sort, which we may call Christianoid 



78 young people's societies. 

charity, seeketh some incidental advantages for her- 
self or for hers — her society, her party, her sect, 
her business or her fad. There is a favorite New 
Testament word to characterize right giving, which 
gets variously translated in the common version, 
sometimes liberality, sometimes bountifulness, but 
which means exactly simplicity — that which is not 
manifold, nor even two-fold, but absolutely with 
no fold at all. This, we are taught, is God's way 
of service, and it ought to be ours. It seems to 
us sometimes like shrewd, clever stewardship for 
the Lord, when we so contrive our benefactions 
that one good deed shall incidentally effect two or 
three other good results. But subtle temptations are 
apt to creep in, in the folds of multiple charity; and 
after all the divine way of simple charity is the best. 
Let thine eye be single. It does seem like a wise 
economy of charity so to clothe the poor child as 
at the same time to get him into our Sunday-school ; 
but, according to the New Testament, the single 
aim is better than the double one. Help the poor 
child for the love of him and for the delight of doing 
the Lord's work by him. And then if ulterior 
good consequences come (as inevitably they will), 
let them come, and be thankful. Only, "let thine 
eye be single." 

It is the one condition exacted for constituting 
any club a "Lend-a-Hand Club," that "it should 
have for one, at least, of its objects, the uplifting 
of some person, neighborhood, or institution out- 
side the Club itself." 

2. The service of the Young People's Society 



YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 79 

must not be priggish. The temptation that besets 
immature age, to take on "grown-up" airs, will 
need to be tactfully discouraged, with the least pos- 
sible of snubbing or irritation. Boys and girls will 
have the ambition to make believe that they are 
men and women, when they are not. In their 
efforts to do good, they will find a dangerous at- 
traction in lines of work which carry an agreeable 
consciousness of superior wisdom, knowledge, vir- 
tue, or dignity, and thus expose really good and 
honest intentions to be evil spoken of. The teach- 
ing and reproving and rebuking functions may or- 
dinarily be remitted by the young person to the 
older person* There are certain maxims of divine 
wisdom that may not get due attention in Sunday- 
schools and Young People's meetings, which, never- 
theless, ought not to be lost sight of. "Be not many 
teachers," is one of them; and "Rebuke not an 
elder" is another. The admonition, "Let no man 
despise thy youth," may often be best observed 
by a scrupulous refraining from airs and assump- 
tions which, in the young, tend to excite contempt 
or ridicule. The pictures and sermons that invite 
our admiration of the boy Jesus in the temple, not 
as modestly "hearing and asking questions," and 
answering when He was spoken to, but as taking 
the rabbis in hand to teach them a thing or two — 
representing Him, in short, as a prig, have much 
to answer for in their perversion of the plain Gospel. 
Let not the praiseworthy desire to train the young 
to active usefulness be allowed to impair the mod- 
esty and humility proper to the young. There 



8o YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 

is room here for wise caution, as well as for 
zeal. 

It should be said, however,, that in the practical 
working of Young People's Societies there has been 
a remarkable absence of that self-assertion which is 
so likely to characterize young people when left to 
themselves, working mostly apart from others. The 
forwardness of youth appears to be taken up into 
the organization, and either neutralized or con- 
verted into a holy boldness. 

Another point, nearly related to this of a proper 
care for the due modesty and humility and teach- 
ableness of childhood and youth, has often been 
neglected, or treated with a censurable lightness, 
although it is one that engaged the solicitous at- 
tention of the Apostle Paul. I refer to the special 
care that needs to be exercised against any infring- 
ing or disparaging of the modesty of girlhood and 
young womanhood. 

In the earlier days of the Young People's So- 
cieties, the avowed purpose that widely prevailed, 
and gave character, in many instances, to the rules 
and methods of the organization, to encourage and 
even urge girls and young women to an equally 
active and equally public share with the young men 
in the proceedings of the Societies, with the ex- 
press intention of training up a generation of adult 
church members, in which the active functions of 
teaching and governing in the church should be 
exercised indifferently by both sexes, naturally ex- 
cited the prejudice and even the honest alarm of 
cautious and conservative people. The warning 



YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 8 1 

given by the Apostle Paul in the First Epistle to the 
Corinthians (xiv : 34) was repeatedly and urgently 
quoted in reprobation of the methods of the Soci- 
eties : "Let your women keep silence in the 
churches ; for it is not permitted unto them to speak ; 
but they are commanded to be under obedience, as 
also saith the law. And if they will learn anything, 
let them ask their husbands at home; for it is a 
shame for women to speak in the church. " The 
official historian of the Christian Endeavor move- 
ment speaks of this verse as "the palladium of the 
opponents of the Society," "the last refuge into 
which they have often retreated/' and declares that 
"by no friendly hand" it has often "been thrown 
triumphantly" at the Society.* 

Surely there is a better and more profitable way 
of meeting objections and difficulties founded on 
such seemingly obvious and grave instructions of 
Holy Scripture, than to meet them with sneers and 
imputations of evil motive. But the better way is 
certainly not that of the ignorant trick of interpreta- 
tion, by which, with much ostentation of deference 
to the Apostle's authority, it has been attempted to 
evade his apparent meaning. The distinguished 
author who has just been quoted would explain 
the text by saying that "Paul has been grossly mis- 
interpreted ;" that "there were noisy, turbulent, half- 
civilized women, who chattered and brawled even 
during the conduct of public worship." And he 



* "World-Wide Endeavor," by Dr. Francis E. Clark, 
p. 226. 



82 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 

quotes with admiration the exegesis of this text as 
given in the "brilliant paper" of another : 

Paul says: "Let the women keep silence in the churches.'' 
Yes, Paul does say that, and if I believed that Paul meant 
what is understood by many as the common interpretation 
of his meaning, I would submit to the Apostle; I would 
not say that the world has outgrown the Apostle. I be- 
lieve in implicit and accurate and abundant submission 
to inspired authority; but because I am sure that the usual 
interpretation of that Scripture has been a huge miscon- 
ception and blunder, I declare that the new prayer-meet- 
ing of Christian Endeavor is in close accord with the old 
typical prayer-meeting of the New Testament, because it 
gives to women holy speech; for do you know what the 
meaning of the words "keep silence" is? Paul says, "Do 
not let the women lall, lall, lall." Don't you see what he 
means? This is the Greek word, lalein, which means to 
chatter, make a disturbance and a contention. Paul says, 
"Never let women do that." The men had better take 
that to themselves as well. . . . These 'miserable pad- 
locks on the gracious lips of women ought to be unlocked 
and broken oft and flung away forever.* 

How groundless is this attempt to evade the 
meaning of the apostolic precept, is made plain in 
an editorial comment in "The Expository Times" : 

Of course, it is needless to appraise the value of this 
-philological discovery in speaking with any- serious student 
of the Greek Testament; but it is easy for any one with a 
Greek concordance to prove it, and find out how much of 
it to hold fast. Beginning with Matthew, how must we 
read? "While Jesus was chattering these things;" "be not 
anxious how or what ye shall chatter; for it shall be given 
you in that hour what ye shall chatter. For it is not ye 



*Ibid., pp. 227, 228. 



YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. &3 

that chatter, but the Spirit of your Father that chattereth 
in you." So through all the Gospels and the Acts. In 
this very epistle, we should have "we chatter wisdom 
among the perfect;" "we make a disturbance with the wis- 
dom of God;" "which things we chatter and brawl . . . 
in the words which the Spirit teacheth." Would it not be 
far better for the "Y. P. S. C. E." (for which we have sin- 
cere respect) to say simply that they do not like the 
Apostle's instructions, and do not mean to regard it, rather 
than to be taught by great rabbis to wriggle around it by 
such tricks of interpretation as this? Happily, they are 
not shut up to this alternative. 

Coming back to the warning of the Apostle, we 
find, at the outset that he was seriously concerned 
that the modesty of women in the church should suf- 
fer no detriment. He was desirjus not only that there 
should be no infringement of the proper modest 
dignity of womanhood, but that there should be 
no semblance or suspicion of it, bringing reproach 
on the -meetings of the Christians. He quotes from 
the Scriptures as throwing light on the subject, but 
at the same time he refers the matter to the sense 
of propriety of the people themselves, and appeals 
to generally accepted principles of good taste and 
good usage. Furthermore, the intelligent reading 
of this very epistle (the First to the Corinthians) 
shows that he was not disposed to determine all 
questions by a hard and fast formula. His general 
rule, that women are to keep silence in the churches, 
is accompanied, in this same epistle, w r ith instruc- 
tions that when they are not keeping silence, but 
are taking audible part in the church services, it 
should be with such decorum of dress and de- 



84 young people's societies. 

meanor as the etiquette of that time and that region 
prescribed. 

Missing the spirit of the apostolic instructions, 
people have fallen into two opposite mistakes. Some 
have applied the general rule as if there could be 
no exceptions to it. Others (and this is the mis- 
take of which our generation is in danger) have 
seemed to talk as if the exceptions constituted the 
rule. Through whatever changes of fashion and of 
public sentiment, the general principle is likely to 
abide, that leadership in government and teaching 
will belong to men and not to women ; and that the 
gentler and more retiring virtues will continue to 
be cherished and admired as characteristic virtues 
of womanhood. It is not less likely that there will 
continue to be exceptions to the general principle, 
as there were in the Church of Corinth. And no 
doubt, in the changed conditions of society, the 
exceptions will be vastly more numerous ; but they 
will be the exceptions still, and the rule will be the 
rule. But just because the exceptions are common, 
the general cautions of the Apostle against the in- 
fringement of feminine modesty and customary 
decorum become all the more important. Large 
allowance must be made for change of social usage, 
not only since the days of Paul, but since forty years 
ago. The use of the veil enjoined in Corinth has 
gone out. But modesty and deference, which were 
signified by the veil, are still in fashion. In a matter 
of this kind, the question what is right or wrong 
is seriously affected by the question what is cus- 
tomary. Some things that are harmless and right 



YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 85 

for American girls, would not only be considered 
wrong, but would be wrong for girls in France. 
At the present day it is customary for women to 
address mixed public assemblies. Fifty years ago, 
being most unusual, it was proof either of some 
exceptional call of duty, or of some exceptional 
boldness, or even effrontery on the part of the 
speaker. The apostolic injunctions seem, by pretty 
clear implication, to recognize the authority of 
existing usage in such questions of duty. 

The danger of falling into a complete disregard 
of the Apostle's cautions to safeguard the modesty 
and deference of women, in religious meetings, is 
a real danger which peculiarly besets the conduct 
of Young People's Societies. Just so far as it may 
be attempted to make-believe that there is no differ- 
ence, and should be no distinction, between a young 
man's duties and a young woman's, there will be 
danger of precipitating the disorders and the scan- 
dals that imperiled the Church of Corinth. How 
the danger is to be met, is, as we have seen, not to 
be determined by formulas of universal application. 
Much must be left to the discretion and tact of older 
counselors, guiding the zeal and enthusiasm of 
youth. Rules must vary with the varying conditions 
and environment of different Societies, in city, vil- 
lage or country. Whether or not there is need, as in 
Corinth, to repress a too great forwardness and 
eagerness to lead on the part of young women, must 
be left to the judgment of those who are in a posi- 
tion to guide or influence. But there is one point 
on which it is safe to advise. We ought to beware 



86 young people's societies. 

of the unwisdom, not to say the cruelty, of applying 
a moral coercion to break down the natural, blame- 
less and becoming shrinking of maidenhood from 
publicity. It is quite too common, in dealing with 
young disciples, to assume that public speaking and 
the making of public prayers are duties of universal 
obligation. There are diversities of gifts; and 
among them the talking gifts are not of necessity 
the most excellent. Many a young Christian is 
endowed with a gift of holding his tongue, if only 
he would cultivate and exercise it. It may well be 
a study, in the organization of a Young People's 
Society, to see to it that the non-talking gifts have 
as ample function and as high honor as the gifts 
which more readily take the general attention. It 
may not be necessary to enforce that Pauline rule 
which Paul himself did not enforce with rigorous 
uniformity, "Let your women keep silence ;" but 
certainly it is not unreasonable to claim for some 
Christian young women the privilege of sometimes 
keeping silence, if they are so inclined, without the 
slightest implication of a reflection on the fidelity 
of their discipleship. . 

Those organizations, like the "Guild of St. An- 
drew" and the "Daughters of the King," which 
separate young men from young women in different 
societies, are thereby relieved of the difficulties in- 
cident to the present question. But they miss some 
great advantages, and even miss, in small communi- 
ties, in which all the available young people to- 
gether are not more than enough for one active and 
effective society, the possibility of existing at all. 



YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 87 

Happily, these small communities are those in which 
ordinarily the mingling of all in one society is at- 
tended with the most advantages and the fewest 
drawbacks. 



CHAPTER XII, 



THE CONSTITUTING OF A YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETY. 

Whatever variations of detail there may be, inci- 
dental to local* or temporary circumstances, or to 
the methods of the general fraternities with one or 
another of which it may be desired to affiliate, there 
are some principles and rules on which the success- 
ful organizers in all the more important Orders seem 
to be well agreed. Foremost among these is the 
principle that it is better to begin with few than 
with many. Dr. Francis E. Clark, who speaks from 
a longer and more successful experience than any 
other man, is very emphatic on this point. He 
says : 

Do not be anxious for numbers. Think more of quality 
than of quantity. Half a score of those who are earnest 
and consecrated are worth, in this work, ten-score of 
half-hearted ones. A very few young people of the right 
sort can make a strong Society of Christian Endeavor. 
If the Society begins right, it is sure to grow. Do not 
lower the standard or cater to the worldly laxness of the aver- 
age Christian by making the way easy. The great danger is 
just in this line — that many will rush in at first who have 
no proper conception of their obligations, and who will 
prove a positive source of weakness to the Society. Make 
sure that every one who joins fully understands his duties 
and obligations, and is willing in Christ's strength to 



88 young people's societies. 

undertake them. Call together the earnest young Chris- 
tians who are thus willing to pledge themselves to this 
work; let them adopt and sign the constitution, which 
act pledges them to a performance of these duties; let 
them choose their officers and committees, and the Society- 
is formed ready to go forward with its work. 

It may very well be a question, in the mind of 
one who contemplates the forming of such a So- 
ciety, whether, even in a congregation or other com- 
munity in which a considerable number of suitable 
persons might be gathered at once, it would not 
be preferable to begin the organization with the 
Scriptural "two or three/' In the nature of the 
case, the preliminary work must be in the way of 
consultation between individuals. Just at what point 
it is best to widen out the little group of those who 
join in these earliest counsels, is worthy of serious 
consideration. If the two or three whose zeal has 
impelled them to lead off in the matter, proceed 
by themselves to complete the framework of or- 
ganization, they keep in their hands the power of 
starting the nascent Society with the right mo- 
mentum and direction. On the other hand, if the 
many are brought into council and co-operation in 
the earliest stages of the enterprise, they will be the 
more likely to have the feeling, so desirable to culti- 
vate, that the Society is their own affair, for which 
they are all of them responsible from the start, to 
carry it forward to useful success. There is an open 
question here. But on the other point, that the 
original initiative has got to be with two or three, 
and most commonly with one, there is no room for 
question. 



YOUNG PEOPLE^ SOCIETIES. 89 

A second point of counsel, near akin to the first, 
is commended to our consideration by the experi- 
ence of some successful organizers. Not only is 
there no need of large numbers, to begin with, there 
is also no need of hurry. The "Hand-book of the 
Brotherhood of St. Andrew" recommends great de- 
liberation in the steps preliminary to starting a 
"Chapter" of that Order: 

Ask a few picked men, three or four if no more are 
available, to meet and consider the matter. By picked 
men are not necessarily meant men of large gifts or ex- 
ceptional ability, but men of purpose and determination, 
who will bring to the work of the Brotherhood the same 
energy, tact and common sense they would apply to any 
business venture. To these business qualities must be 
added faith and prayerfulness. 

First, look over the field for work — that is, the local 
parish and neighborhood — for what needs to be done, and 
decide whether you will try to do it. Then take up this 
Brotherhood Hand-book and "Points on Brotherhood 
Work." Read them over carefully, discussing and obtain- 
ing information on any points that may not be perfectly 
clear. If a man who has already had experience in 
Brotherhood work can be secured to attend this meeting 
to answer questions, so much the better. 

Having now looked over the field and examined the in- 
strument which other men have used to work it, send the 
men home to think and pray about their duty in the 
matter. At the end of a week or more call the same men 
together again, and let those who acknowledge that it is 
their duty and privilege to work for the spread of Christ's 
kingdom among men, and who propose to do it faithfully 
and systematically, proceed to organize by the adoption 
of such by-laws and the election of such officers as may 
seem best. Two men are sufficient to effect organization. 
The members of the provisional Chapter thus formed 



90 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 

can begin work at once in fulfilment of the Rule of Prayer 
and the Rule of Service, without formally pledging them- 
selves. Work on this basis for four or five months, to 
give the men opportunity to test themselves and the 
Brotherhood. If at the end of that time they are willing 
to continue their work, and feel that the Brotherhood of 
St. Andrew offers them the most available means for 
doing it, they may proceed to the formal organization of 
a Chapter by ratifying the constitution of the Brotherhood 
and pledging themselves in the admission office suggested 
by the Council, to work faithfully for the one object under 
the two rules. Any men who are not willing to take this 
step may drop out quietly. A report of these proceed- 
ings, duly attested by the officers and approved by the 
rector, should be forwarded to the General Secretary on 
a blank furnished for the purpose, accompanied by the 
proper amount for the quota of the Chapter. A charter 
will then be issued. 

This probationary period for a new Chapter is not, at 
present, absolutely required by the constitution, but expe- 
rience has proved its wisdom. Many Chapters have held 
membership in the Brotherhood so highly that they have 
proved themselves by six months' or a year's service be- 
fore asking to be enrolled. To-day they are among the 
strongest in the Brotherhood. 

This Brotherhood work is not a matter of fancy, to be 
taken up or dropped as the mood may be upon one; it is 
not an enlistment for six months or a year, or ten years 
even, but for life or the war. It is important, therefore, 
that haste should be made slowly, and that only those 
men should be selected who, while they may be raw re- 
cruits, are not faint hearts who will turn cowards at the 
first onset, but men of grit who will endure. 

The advice thus quoted is, in some details, of 
limited application. It relates to the methods fol- 
lowed in an association of men only, constituted 
with a considerable strictness of form and rule with- 



YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 91 

in the limits of a single denomination and operating 
on rigorously sectarian lines. But these counsels 
to deliberation and delay come from leaders who 
have had notable success in organizing, and are 
worthy of being pondered by any who contemplate 
the founding of a Young People's Society. The 
story of the purging of Gideon's army may be found 
to have an instructive application to this enterprise. 
This may easily prove to be one of the occasions 
when the part is greater than the whole. 



CHAPTER XIII. 

THE FORM OF CONSTITUTION. 

Readers of "Ten Times One Is Ten" will re- 
member that when the little strangely assorted Ten 
of Harry Wadsworth's friends, coming from his 
funeral, full of the inspiration of his generous life, 
had begun to talk about organizing a club, with 
some little form of a constitution, just enough to 
hold them together, the trains came along and they 
were whirled away in different directions without 
any constitution at all, but only the memory of a 
noble life, and four mottoes, equivalent to Faith, 
Hope and Charity; and that, with no more of an 
equipment than this, the Ten multiplied itself into 
other Tens, until it filled the world. Which things 
are an allegory. 

This extraordinary book had its seed in itself after 
its kind. A large but indefinite number of associa- 



92 YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 

tions have sprung from it, some of which are in cor- 
respondence with a bureau in Boston ; and the sole 
condition exacted for this recognition • and fellow- 
ship is that the Society shall have., for at least part 
of its work, the doing of some helpful thing for 
some outside of its own circle. This brings organi- 
zation and regulation down to the minimum, but 
leaves each particular Club free to do its own or- 
ganizing and regulating as elaborately as it may 
choose. 

It is a fair question whether, in this instance, or- 
ganization was not brought down belozv the mini- 
mum — whether much would not have been gained 
in stability and sustained and combined effective- 
ness, without any considerable loss, if the steam 
generated by Dr. Hale's inspiring apologue had 
been more confined in cylinders, and not blown 
off so recklessly into the air. Certainly later move- 
ments seem to show immense results accruing from 
the imposing of some fixed rules, and from a certain 
amount of gearing by which the local and individual 
associations are brought into co-ordination with a 
general system. But nearly all experienced or- 
ganizers will agree in advising the local association 
not to cumber itself with machinery beyond what 
it practically needs. How much or how little must 
vary with circumstances. A numerous society, with 
diverse lines of labor, needs more of an. equipment 
of officers and committees and rules, than a society 
of three or four members intent on a single object. 

Preliminary to the question of the form of con- 
stitution is the question whether the Society is to 



YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 93 

be organized within the lines of some religious con- 
gregation, and in connection with the Church. If 
it is to be quite free of such lines, being intended 
to include persons of different religious congrega- 
tions, or of none at all, then the few paragraphs can 
be easily drawn which shall define (i) the name of 
the Society; (2) the object of it; (3) conditions of 
membership ; (4) the officers, how and when to be 
chosen, and for how long. Besides these articles, it , 
may be necessary to agree upon some rules or by- 
laws, fixing (1) time and place for regular meet- 
ings ; and (2) in a general way the order of business 
at each meeting. 

This preliminary question as to whether the So- 
ciety is to be attached to some Church organization, 
or to be free of such attachment, may often be a 
difficult question to decide, with weighty reasons on 
each side of it. Not only the generous sentiment 
of Christian fellowship among those habitually sepa- 
rated into different worshiping assemblies, but the 
nature of much of the charitable work that would 
ordinarily fall to the hand of the Society, and the 
prosperity of the Society itself, which, in a small 
and much-divided community can not well flourish 
with a less constituency than the whole of the willing 
youth of the place — these are reasons in favor of a 
completely independent organization. On the other 
side are such reasons as these: (1) the parochial 
organization, with its building, its funds, its pastor 
and officers, furnishes a solid base of operations for 
the Young People's Society ; (2) if the members are 
taken from within sectarian lines, there is less dan- 



94 YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 

ger of friction between different parties and opin- 
ions ; (3) it is painful and humiliating to recognize 
that among American Christians it will be admitted 
as an argument in favor of organization within sec- 
tarian lines, that "competition is the life of busi- 
ness/' and that the mutual emulations of rival so- 
cieties will conduce to the activity of each and so to 
the advancement of the common cause. In the 
mind of Paul, emulations were reckoned among 
"the works of the flesh ;" this seems hardly to be ac- 
cepted as popular American doctrine ; but for all 
that, it is Christian doctrine. 

If it is found in the individual case, that the rea- 
sons preponderate in favor of organizing inde- 
pendently of relations to congregation or sect, the 
Society, nevertheless, need not be without affilia- 
tions. If its aim is mainly that of service in chari- 
table work, to which social worship and spiritual 
self-culture are incidental, it will be likely to enroll 
itself among the "Lend-a-Hand Clubs" or "Ten- 
Times-One Clubs" that find a common centre of cor- 
respondence in "The Lend-a-Hand Office," 1 Bea- 
con street, Boston, Mass., and a common organ in 
"The Lend-a-Hand Record," published monthly at 
that office. It is the principle of this general or- 
ganization to permit and even encourage the largest 
liberty and the widest "diversity of operation" 
among its constituent or affiliated clubs. "A Club 
may organize as it will. Each Club may choose its 
own name, make its own constitution, and select 
its own work." But those contemplating a local 
organization may get from the central office sug- 



YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 95 

gested drafts of constitution, and proposed rituals, 
and schemes of practical service, which will be found 
helpful in the initiation and direction of the new 
Club. And the monthly "Lend-a-Hand Record/' 
in every issue of which are marks of the genius of 
Dr. Edward Everett Hale, will keep each indi- 
vidual club in communication with others and with 
interesting objects of common effort, and will keep 
suggesting fresh methods and fresh objects of 
beneficence. 

If, on the other hand, the idea of spiritual edifi- 
cation and worship among its own members is a 
leading idea, instead of an incidental one, the Club 
will find its natural affiliation with "The Interna- 
tional Order of the King's Daughters and Sons," 
the objects of which are defined in its constitution 
to be "to develop spiritual life and to stimulate 
Christian activities." The "Central Council" of this 
confederation of local circles has its headquarters 
at 156 Fifth avenue, New York. Its organ is "The 
Silver Cross," a weekly, journal, of which the 
"objects are, first, the promotion of the glory of 
God by the extension of the kingdom of Christ; 
second, to develop, by direct communication with 
headquarters and with each other, closer union and 
greater interest than now exists, among the many 
thousands of local Circles, in order that the weak 
may be made strong, and the strong stronger ; third, 
to spread information and instruction on all points 
affecting the work and welfare of the Order, and 
to stimulate individual and united service by sug- 
gestion and example." The projectors of a Society 



96 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 

that is to be neither parochial nor sectarian, but is 
to be predominantly religious and distinctly Chris- 
tian, not only in spirit, but also in profession, would 
do well to address "The Silver Cross'' as above, for 
practical suggestions and convenient forms. 

It ought not to be understood that Circles dis- 
tinctively attached to local churches are unwelcome 
in the fellowship of these two confederations of 
Clubs. On the contrary, such Circles are cordially 
received ; and it may fairly be questioned, in the 
organization of a local church society, whether it 
may not find its best affiliation with one of these 
confederations. But the great Orders about to be 
named are identified with parish life, and some of 
them are organized on a frankly and quite exclu- 
sively sectarian basis. The greatest of them all — the 
"Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor" — 
seeks, according to its own favorite phrase, to be 
not undenominational but interdenominational. "It 
is as distinctly denominational as any Society pos- 
sibly can be. Each Society, under normal conditions, 
belongs to some one church. It works for that church, 
seeks to upbuild it, aids its pastor, helps the Sun- 
day-school, fills the missionary treasury, circulates 
the denominational literature, does just what the 
church and pastor demand, and only that. But it 
exists in a multitude of churches and in many de- 
nominations, to do the same service loyally and 
heartily for each church and denomination in which 
it finds a home."* So far from abating sectarian 
zeal and emulation, in the local Societies, the gen- 



EWorld- Wide Endeavor," 261, 



YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 97 

eral Society unreservedly commends itself to the 
approval of earnest sectarians in the several com- 
peting denominations, as tending to encourage and 
stimulate, in each local Society, the liveliest zeal for 
the sect to which the church in which it exists is 
attached. Then it seeks to bring together on terms 
of kindly fraternization and fellowship, in provin- 
cial, national and ecumenical conventions, these 
strongly differentiated Circles. 

The foregoing historical pages show that this sin- 
cere acceptance and promotion of the sectarian prin- 
ciple has failed, nevertheless, permanently to con- 
ciliate the most eager and zealous partisans. There 
is no important evangelical denomination, indeed, 
which is not still represented in the organization of 
the general Society of Christian Endeavor. But 
those denominations in which the partisan spirit 
exists in largest ratio to the spirit of catholic fellow- 
ship show a growing tendency to consolidate the 
fellowship of their Young People's Societies within 
denominational boundary lines. The Methodist 
Episcopal, Protestant Episcopal and Baptist de- 
nominations, in particular, show an increasing 
tendency to a more closely drawn fellowship of 
Young People's Societies within their respective 
sectarian boundaries, with greater isolation from the 
world-wide "interdenominational" fellowship. 

So, then, if a Society is to be organized in connec- 
tion with some church, there is a wide choice open 
before it, in the matter of affiliation. 

i. It can stand by itself without affiliation — a 
course which may, perhaps, have its advantages in 



98 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 

some circumstances, but which would involve grave 
and inevitable loss of the interest, incitement and 
delight of a larger fellowship. 

2. It can connect itself, on the easiest terms of 
correspondence, with either of the great undenomi- 
national Societies, of which we have already spoken 
—the Lend-a-Hand Club, or the King's Daughters 
and Sons. 

3. It can organize itself as a Young People's So- 
ciety of Christian Endeavor, using a large liberty 
in adapting the organization to local requirements 
or to denominational interests, and gaining the im- 
mense cheer and encouragement and resource in- 
cidental to association in that vast fellowship, with 
its immense resources of experience at home, and 
of correspondence with all quarters of the earth. 

4. In some denominations, it can organize itself 
in connection with an organization which maintains 
terms of special correspondence among Societies 
within the denomination, and looks out for denomi- 
national interests, while cultivating fraternal rela- 
tions with Young People's Societies of all sects and 
nations through the United Society of Christian 
Endeavor. Such is the method, among others, of 
the Westminster League in the Presbyterian 
Church, and of the Epworth League of Christian 
Endeavor, a favorite form of organization among 
the Methodists of Canada. 

5. In some other denominations the local Society 
can organize itself within the lines of a rigorously 
sectarian league, like the Epworth League, or the 
Baptist Young People's Union. 



YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 99 

Now the course to be taken in the starting of the 
local Society in any church will depend on the 
choice among these alternatives. 

In the first case, or in the second, the general 
suggestions that have been already made (see pp. 
87-91) and those that will be promptly received on 
application (stamp inclosed) at the headquarters of 
the Lend-a-Hand Corporation or of the King's 
Daughters and Sons, will furnish all needful indica- 
tions of the best way to get to work. But the prac- 
tical hints that are contained in the small publica- 
tions of all the different organizations will be in- 
teresting and useful even to those who are outside 
of the range for which they are specially intended. 
In one connection and another, there has been not a 
little bright and sensible writing on the subject. 

d 

% — 



CHAPTER XIV. 

THE CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOR CONSTITUTION. 

"The Beginnings of a Society of Christian En- 
deavor" is the title of a sketch by the Rev. S. W. 
Adriance, published ( at three cents a copy) by the 
United Society of Christian Endeavor, Tremont 
Temple, Boston, Taking this as a type of such 
instructions, we find that the church Society is to 
begin, if not with the pastor of the church, at least 
with his cordial approval and co-operation. With- 
out these it is not hopeful to begin at all. In this 



IOO YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 

sketch, the pastor, studying his list of communi- 
cants and parishioners, writes a card of invitation 
to each one of his ten young church members ; also 
to each of three young people, members of sister 
churches, but worshiping for the time in his con- 
gregation ; also to each of three young persons not 
yet members of the church, but in w T hose Christian 
principle he has good hope. Fifteen out of the six- 
teen come to his house on a Wednesday evening to 
talk over his plan. He explains the methods of 
the Society, and reads the Constitution with a 
running conversational comment on it by the com- 
pany. So they wind up with "chocolate and cake" 
and a good talk all around, and agree to think it 
over for two weeks, and then meet to form the 
Society. 

At the end of the two weeks they come together 
in spite of a storm, and adopt a Constitution by 
vote, and appoint a nominating committee, and fix 
upon an evening for the weekly prayer-meeting. 
With the choice of President, Secretary, Prayer- 
meeting Committee and Look-out Committee, there 
is sufficient organization to begin business. How 
the .work grows from this beginning, is told in a few 
pleasantly written pages. The "Hints," with which 
this sketch concludes, contain much that is ap- 
plicable to the starting of any Young People's 
Society. 

i. Get the pastor to start it, or at least be with it at 
the start. 

2. Arrange for the first meeting in some small room, 
and invite those who are particularly interested. 



YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. IOI 

3. Talk the matter earnestly over, read the Constitution 
carefully, and organize. Let every one mean business. 

4. Elect the President, the Secretary, and at least the 
Prayer-meeting and Lookout Committees the first night. 

5. Let the Lookout Committee make out at once a list 
of all the young people in the community. 

6. Appoint a public meeting to present the matter to 
others. 

7. Obtain copies of the Constitution, and blank pledges 
for Active and Associate Members, and place these, to- 
gether with a printed invitation to the public meeting, in 
envelopes. 

8. Let the Lookout Committee divide the list of young 
people, and either mail or carry an envelope to every 
young person in the place. 

9. Make every effort to get a large number out. 

10. Have some one appointed to set the new move- 
ment briefly and clearly before all. Insist that no one shall 
join who is not willing to live up to the pledge. It is far 
better to lose some than to gain those who will be burden- 
some. 

11. Ask all who desire to join to sign their names to 
the blank for Active or Associate Membership, and let 
these cards be collected and handed to the Lookout Com- 
mittee, already organized, as under Hint No. 4. 

.12. At the next business meeting let the Lookout Com- 
mittee read such names as are to be presented, and let 
them be elected. All names should first be presented to 
the Lookout Committee. 

13. Let the Prayer-meeting Committee appoint leaders 
and subjects and begin at once, and in earnest, in the 
prayer-meeting. 

14. Immediately after organizing, have a meeting of 
all the committees with the pastor to consider the work 
of each committee, and assign it to the proper committee 
to be done. 

15. Begin at the very first meeting to take part; and 
take part at every meeting. 



102 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 

16. It will bring the Society into line with the great 
host to adopt the uniform topics. Samples of these may 
be obtained from the United Society. Comments on these 
topics are printed every week in "The Christian Endeavor 
World," Tremont Temple, Boston, and in scores of re- 
ligious papers throughout the country. 

17. Appoint a permanent correspondent and send notice 
of the formation, with date and numbers, to the United 
Society of Christian Endeavor, Tremont Temple, Boston, 
Mass. 

None will fail to recognize that the organization 
of the "Y. P. S. C. E." conforms to its dominant 
idea. That idea is the religious idea of spiritual 
edification through common worship and mutual 
counsel. The structural necessities to this are few 
and simple. A President, a Secretary, the pledge, 
the Lookout Committee, the Prayer-meeting Com- 
mittee, and the consecration meeting — this brief 
list comprises the essentials. From this, the organi- 
zation can be widened out as local or denomina- 
tional exigencies may require. Detailed advice, ex- 
tending to the minutest particulars of organization 
and management, can be obtained from the United 
Society of Christian Endeavor, Tremont Temple, 
Boston, Mass. 

Further information bearing upon the special 
adaptation of the Christian Endeavor organization 
to the needs and interests of the several sects in 
which it is naturalized, may be got by applying at 
the publication offices of the various denominations. 

Here follows the draft of Constitution and By- 
laws recommended by the United Society of Chris- 
tian Endeavor. 



YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 103 

MODEL CONSTITUTION.* 

Article I: — Name. 

This Society shall be called the 

Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor. 

Article II. — Object. 

Its object shall be to promote an earnest Christian life 
among its members, to increase their mutual acquaintance, 
and to make them more useful in the service of God. 

Article III. — Membership. 

1. The members shall consist of three classes: Active, 
Associate, and Affiliated or Honorary. 



*This Constitution, which, in its important features, is 
substantially the same as that adopted by the first Society 
in Portland, February 2, 1881, has been prepared with 
great care, and met with the very hearty indorsement of 
the Fourth National Convention, to which it was pre- 
sented. It has been revised and approved by the Trustees 
of the United Society, at a meeting held October, 1887. 
It is not necessarily binding upon any local Society, but 
is to be regarded in the light of a recommendation, es- 
pecially for the guidance of new organizations and those 
unacquainted with the work of the Society of Christian 
Endeavor. It is hoped, however, for the sake of uni- 
formity, that the Constitution, which deals only with 
main principles, may be generally adopted, and that such 
changes as may be needed to adapt the Society to local 
needs will be made in the By-Laws. Even if the language 
of the Constitution of some local Societies should vary 
from this Model Constitution, it should be borne in mind 
that only those societies that adhere to the prayer-meeting 
idea as embodied in Article VII, and the main features 
of committee work, can properly claim the name of Chris- 
tian Endeavor Societies. The specimen By-Laws which 
are here appended embrace suggestions for the govern- 
ment of the Society which have been found successful in 
many places. Each one is approved by experience, 



104 YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 

2. Active Members. The active members of this Society 
shall consist of all young persons who believe themselves 
to be Christians, and who sincerely desire to accomplish 
the objects above specified. Voting power shall be vested 
only in the active members. 

3. Associate Members. All young persons of worthy 
character, who are not at present willing to be considered 
decided Christians, may become associate members of this 
Society. They shall have the special prayers and sympathy 
of the active members, but shall be excused from taking 
part in the prayer-meeting. It is expected that all associ- 
ate members will habitually attend the prayer-meetings, 
and that they will in time become active members, and the 
Society will work to this end. 

4. Affiliated or Honorary Members* All persons who, 
though no longer young, are still interested in the Society, 
and wish to have some connection with it, though they 
cannot regularly attend the meetings, may become honor- 
ary members. Their names shall be kept upon the list 
under the appropriate heading, but shall not be called at 
the roll-call meeting. It is understood that the Society 
may look to the honorary members for financial and moral 
support in all worthy efforts. (For special class of honor- 
ary members, see Article XL) 

5. These different persons shall become members, upon 
being elected by the Society, after carefully examining the 
Constitution and By-Laws and upon signing their names 
to them, thereby pledging themselves to live up to their 
requirements. 



*This class of membership is provided *for Christians 
of mature years, especially for those who have been active 
members, and who desire to remain throughout their lives 
connected with the Society. Young persons who can be 
either active or associate members should in no case be 
affiliated members. 



YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 105 

Article IV. — Officers. 

1. The officers of this Society shall be a President, 
Vice-President, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Sec- 
retary, and Treasurer, who shall be chosen from among 
the active members of the Society. 

2. There shall also be a Lookout Committee, a Prayer- 
meeting Committee, a Social Committee, and such other 
committees as the local needs of each Society may require, 
each consisting of five active members. There shall also 
be an Executive Committee, as provided in Article VI. 

Article V. — Duties of Officers. 

1. President. The President of the Society shall per- 
form the duties usually pertaining to that office. He shall 
have especial watch over the interests of the Society, and 
it shall be his care to see that the different committees 
perform the duties devolving upon them. He shall be 
Chairman of the Executive Committee. 

2. Vice-President. The Vice-President shall assist the 
President, and perform his duties in his absence.* 

3. Corresponding Secretary. It shall be the duty of the 
Corresponding Secretary to keep the local Society in 
communication with the State and local Christian En- 
deavor Unions and with the United Society, and to pre- 
sent to his own Society such matters of interest as may 
come from the United Society, from other local Societies, 
and from other authorized sources of Christian Endeavor 
information. This office shall be held permanently by the 
same person, as long as he is able to perform its duties 
satisfactorily, and his name should be forwarded to the 
United Society immediately after election. 

4. Recording Secretary. It shall be the duty of the Re- 
cording Secretary to keep a record of the members, to 
correct it from time to time, as may be necessary, and to 



*It is suggested that the Vice-President shall also be 
Secretary of the Executive Committee. 



106 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 

obtain the signature of each newly elected member to the 
Constitution; also to correspond with absent members, 
and to inform them of their standing in the Society; also 
to keep correct minutes of all business meetings of the 
Society; also to notify all persons elected to office or to 
committees, and to do so in writing, if necessary. 

5. Treasurer. It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to 
keep safely all moneys belonging to the Society, and to 
pay out only such sums as shall be voted by the Society. 

Article VI. — Duties of Committees. 

1. Lookout Committee. It shall be the duty of this com- 
mittee to bring new members into the Society, to intro- 
duce them to the work and to the other members, and 
affectionately to look after and reclaim any that seem in- 
different to their duties, as outlined in the pledge. This 
committee shall also, by personal investigation, satisfy 
itself of the fitness of young persons to become members 
of this Society, and shall propose their names at least one 
week before their election to membership. 

2. Prayer-meeting Committee. It shall be the duty of this 
committee to have in charge the prayer-meeting, and to 
see that a topic is assigned and a leader appointed for 
every meeting, and to do what it can to secure faithfulness 
to the prayer-meeting pledge. 

3. Social Committee. It shall be the duty of this com- 
mittee to promote the social interests of the Society by 
welcoming strangers to the meetings, and by providing for 
the mutual acquaintance of the members by occasional 
sociables, for which any appropriate entertainment, of 
which the Church approves, may be provided. 

4. Executive Committee* This committee shall consist 
of the Pastor of the church, the officers of the Society, and 



*The object of this committee is to prevent waste of 
time in the regular meetings of the Society by useless 
debate and unnecessary parliamentary practice, which are 
always harmful to the spirit of a prayer-meeting. 



YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 107 

the Chairmen of the various committees. All matters of 
business requiring debate shall be brought first before this 
committee, and by it reported to the Society either favor- 
ably or adversely. All discussion of proposed measures 
shall take place before this committee, and not before the 
Society. Recommendations concerning the finances of the 
Society shall also originate with this committee. 

5. Each committee, except the Executive, shall make a 
report in writing to the Society, at the monthly business 
meetings, concerning the work of the past month. 

Article VII. — The Prayer-meeting. 

All the active members shall be present at every meet- 
ing, unless detained by some absolute necessity, and each 
active member shall take some part, however slight, in 
every meeting. To the above all the active members shall 
pledge themselves, understanding by "absolute necessity" 
some reason for absence which can conscientiously be 
given to their Master, Jesus Christ. 

Article VIII. — The Pledge* 

All persons on becoming Active members of the Society 
shall sign the following pledge: 

Trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ for strength, I prom- 
ise Him that I will strive to do whatever He would like 
to have me do; that I will make it the rule of my life to 
pray and to read the Bible every day, and to support my 
own Church in every way, especially by attending all her 
regular Sunday and mid-week services, unless prevented 
by some reason which I can conscientiously give to my 
Saviour; and that, just so far as I know how, throughout 
my whole life, I will endeavor to lead a Christian life. • 



*If this exact form of words is not adopted, it is earnest- 
ly hoped that it will not be weakened or toned down, but 
that a pledge embracing the ideas of private devotion, 
loyalty to the Church, and outspoken confession of Christ 
in the weekly meeting will be adopted. 



108 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 

As an active member, I promise to be true to all my 
duties, to be present at, and to take some part, aside from 
singing, in every Christian Endeavor prayer-meeting, 
unless hindered by some reason which I can conscien- 
tiously give to my Lord and Master. If obliged to be 
absent from the monthly consecration meeting of the So- 
ciety, I will, if possible, send at least a verse of Scripture 
to be read in response to my name at the roll-call. 

Signed 

Article IX. — The Consecration Meeting. 

1. Once each month a consecration or covenant meet- 
ing shall be held, at which each active member shall renew 
his vows of consecration. If any one chooses, he can 
express his feelings by an appropriate verse of Scripture 
or other quotation. 

2. At each consecration meeting the roll shall be called 
(or some equally thorough method of making the record 
may be adopted), and-the responses of the active members 
shall be considered as renewed expressions of allegiance 
to Christ. It is expected that if any one is obliged to be 
absent from this meeting, he will send a message, or at 
least a verse of Scripture, to be read in response to his 
name at the roll-call. 

3. If any active member of this Society is absent from 
this monthly meeting, and fails to send a message, the 
Lookout Committee is expected to take the name of such 
a one, and in a kind and brotherly spirit ascertain the rea- 
son for the absence. If any active member of the Society 
is absent and unexcused from three consecutive monthly 
meetings, such a one ceases to be a member of the Society, 
and his name, on vote of the Lookout Committee and the 
Pastor, shall be stricken from the list of members. 

4. Any associate member who, without good reason, is 
regularly absent from the prayer-meetings, and shows no 
interest whatever in the work of the Society, may upon 
vote of the Lookout Committee and Pastor, be dropped 
from the roll of members. 



YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 109 

Article X. — Business Meetings and Elections. 

1. Business meetings may be held in connection with 
the prayer-meeting, or at any other time in accordance 
with the call of the President. 

2. An election of the officers and committees shall be 
held once in six months.* Names may be proposed by a 
Nominating Committee appointed by the President, of 
which the Pastor shall be- a member ex-oiJicio. 

Article XL — Relation to the Church. 

This Society, being a part of the church, owes allegiance 
only and altogether to the church with which it is con- 
nected. The Pastors, Deacons, Elders or Stewards, and 
Sunday-school Superintendent, if not active members, 
shall be, ex-ofliciis, honorary members. Any difficult 
question shall be laid before them for advice, and their 
decision shall be final. It shall be understood that the 
nomination of officers or other action taken by the 
Society shall be subject to revision or veto by the church; 
that in every way the Society shall put itself under the con- 
trol of the official board of the church, and shall make a 
report to the church monthly, quarterly, or annually as 
the church may direct. 

Article XII. — Relation of the Junior Society. 

The Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor and 
the Junior Society being united by ties of closest sym- 
pathy and common effort, monthly (or at least annual) 
reports should be read to the Young People's Society b^ 
the Junior Superintendent. When the boys and girls 
reach the age of fourteen, they shall be transferred to the 
older society. Special pains shall be taken to see that a 
share of the duties and responsibilities of the prayer-meet- 
ings and of the general work of the Society shall be borne 
by the younger members. 



* Once a year, if preferred. 



HO YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 

Article XIII. — Fellowship. 

This Society, while owing allegiance only to its own 
church, is united by ties of spiritual fellowship with other 
Christian Endeavor societies the world around. This fel- 
lowship is based upon a common love to Christ, is 
cemented by a common pledge and common methods of 
work, and is guaranteed by a common name, "Christian 
Endeavor," used either alone or in connection with some 
denominational name. 

This fellowship is that of an interdenominational, not 
an undenominational, organization. It is promoted by 
local-union meetings, State and national conventions, and 
still further by the work of the Information Committtee, 
which it is hoped will be adopted by each society. (See 
By-Laws, Article X.) 

Article XIV. — Withdrawals. 
Any member who may wish to withdraw from the So- 
ciety shall state the reasons to the Lookout Committee 
and Pastor, and if these reasons seem sufficient, he may 
be allowed to withdraw. 

Article XV. — Miscellaneous. 

Any other committee may be added and duties assumed 
by this Society which in the future may seem best. 

Article XVI. — Transfer of Members. 

Since it would in the end defeat the very object of our 
organization if the older active members, who have been 
trained in the Society for usefulness in the church, should 
remain content with fulfilling their pledge to the Society 
only, therefore it is expected that the older members, 
when it shall become impossible for them to attend two 
weekly prayer-meetings, shall be transferred to the honor- 
ary membership of the Society, if previously faithful to 
their vows as active members. This transfer, however, 



YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. HI 

shall be made with the understanding that the obligation 
to faithful service shall still be binding upon them in the 
regular church prayer-meeting. It shall be left to the 
Lookout Committee, in conjunction with the Pastor, to 
see that this transfer of membership is made as occasion 
requires. 

Article XVII. — Amendment. 

,This Constitution may be amended at any regular busi- 
ness meeting, by a two-thirds vote of the entire active 
membership of the Society, provided that a written state- 
ment of the proposed amendment shall have been read to 
the Society and deposited with the Secretary at the regular 
business meeting next preceding. 



SPECIMEN BY-LAWS.* 
Article I. 

This Society shall hold a prayer-meeting on 

evening of each week. The regular prayer- 
meeting of the month shall be a consecration meeting, at 
which the roll shall be called. 

Article II. 
Method of Conducting the Consecration Meeting. 
At this meeting the roll may be called by the Leader 
during the meeting or at its close. After the opening 
exercises, the names of five or more may be called, and 
then a hymn sung or a prayer offered. The committees 
may be called by themselves, or other variations of the 
roll-call introduced. Thus varied, with singing and 
prayer interspersed, the entire roll shall be called. 



* If it is thought that these rules and regulations are un- 
necessarily long, it should be borne distinctly in mind that 
these specimen By-Laws are simply given as suggestions. 



112 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 

Article III. 
This Society shall hold its regular business* meeting in 

connection with the regular prayer-meeting in 

the month. Special business meetings may be held at the 
call of the President. 

Article IV. 

The election of officers and committees shall be held at 
the first business meeting in 

A Nominating Committee shall be appointed by the 
President at least two weeks previous to the time for 
electing new officers. Of this committee the Pastor shall 
be a member ex-ofhcio. It is understood that these officers 
are chosen subject to the approval of the church. If there 
is no objection on the part of the church, the election 
stands. The following clause of the By-Laws may be read 
to the Society before each semi-annual election of offi- 
cers: — 

While membership on the board of officers or commit- 
tees of this Society should be distributed as evenly as the 
best good of the Society will warrant, among the different 
members, the offices should not be considered places of 
honor to be striven for, but simply opportunities for in- 
creased usefulness, and any ill feeling or jealousy spring- 
ing from this cause shall be deemed unworthy a member 
of the Society of Christian Endeavor. When, however, a 
member has been fairly elected, it is expected that he will 
consider his office a sacred trust, to be conscientiously ac- 
cepted, and never to be declined except for most urgent 
and valid reasons. 

Article V. 
Applications for membership may be made on printed 



* This business meeting will usually be simply for the 
hearing of reports from the committees, or for such mat- 
ters as will not detract from the spiritual tone of. the 
meeting. All matters requiring discussion, it will be re- 
membered, are to be brought before the Executive Com- 
mittee, and not before the Society. 



YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. H3 

forms, which shall be supplied by the Lookout Committee 
and returned to them for consideration. 

Names may be proposed for membership one week be- 
fore the business meeting, and shall be voted on by the 
Society at that meeting. The Lookout Committee may, 
in order to satisfy itself of the Christian character of the 
candidate, present to all candidates for active or associate 
membership one of the following cards to be signed: — 



ACTIVE MEMBERS PLEDGE. 

Trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ for strength, I 
promise Him that I will strive to do whatever He would 
like to have me do; that I will make it the rule of my life 
to pray and to read the Bible every day, and to support 
my own church in every way, especially by attending all 
her regular Sunday and midweek services, unless pre- 
vented by some reason which I can conscientiously give 
to my Saviour; and that, just so far as^ I know how, 
throughout my whole life, I will endeavor to lead a Chris- 
tian life. 

As an active member, I promise to be true to all my 
duties, to be present at, and to take some part, aside from 
singing, in every Christian Endeavor prayer-meeting, un- 
less hindered by some reason which I can conscientiously 
give to my Lord and Master. If obliged to be absent from 
the monthly consecration meeting of the Society, I will, 
if possible, send at least a verse of Scripture to be read in 
response to my name at the roll-call. 

Signed 



ASSOCIATE MEMBERS PLEDGE. 

As an associate member, I promise to attend the prayer- 
meetings of the Society habitually and declare my willing- 
ness to do what I may be called upon to do as an associate 
member to advance the interests of the Society. 

Signed , 



114 YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 

Article VI. 
Persons who have forfeited their membership may be 
re-admitted on recommendation of the Lookout Commit- 
tee and Pastor and by vote of the members present at any 
regular business meeting. 

Article VII. 
New members shall sign the Constitution, which shall 
contain the pledge, within four weeks from their election, 
to confirm the vote of the Society. 

Article VIII. 
Any one who cannot accept the office to which he may 
be elected shall notify the President before the next busi- 
ness meeting, at which the vacancy shall be filled. In the 
meantime, the former officer holds the position. 

Article IX. 
Letters of Introduction to other Christian Endeavor 
societies shall be given to members in good standing who 
apply to be released from their obligations to the Society, 
this release to take effect when they shall become mem- 
bers of another Society; until then, their names shall be 
kept on the Absent List. Members removing to other 
places, or desiring to join other Christian Endeavor So- 
cieties in the same city or town, are requested to obtain 
Letters of Introduction within six months from the time 
of their leaving, unless they shall give satisfactory reasons 
to the Society for their further delay. 

Article X. 

Other committees may be added, according to the needs 
of local societies, whose duties may be defined as follows: 

Information Committee. It shall be the duty of this com- 
mittee to gather information concerning Endeavorers or 
Endeavor work, in all parts of the world, and to report the 
same. For this purpose, five minutes shall be set aside at 
the beginning of each meeting. 



YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. US 

Sunday-school Committee. It shall be the duty of this 
committee to endeavor to bring into the Sunday-school 
those who do not attend elsewhere, and to co-operate with 
the Superintendent and officers of th*e school in any ways 
which they may suggest for the benefit of the Sunday- 
school. 

Calling Committee. It shall be the duty of this committee 
to have a special care for those among the young people 
who do not feel at home in the church, to call on them, 
and to remind others where ells should be made. 

Music Committee. It shall be the duty of this committee 
to provide for the singing at the young people's meeting, 
and also to turn the musical ability of the Society to ac- 
count, when necessary, at public religious meetings. 

Missionary Committee. It shall be the duty of this com- 
mittee to provide for regular missionary meetings, to in- 
terest the members of the Society in all ways in missionary 
topics, and to aid, in any manner which may seem prac- 
ticable, the cause of Home and Foreign Missions. 

Flower Committee. It shall be the duty of this com- 
mittee to provide flowers for the pulpit, and to distribute 
them to the sick at the close of the Sabbath services. 

Temperance Committee. It shall be the duty of this com- 
mittee to do what may be deemed best to promote tem- 
perance principles and sentiment among the members of 
the Society. 

Relief Committee. It shall be the duty of this committee 
to do what it can to cheer and aid, by material comforts 
if possible and necessary, the sick and destitute among the 
young people- of the church and Sunday-school. 

Good-Literature Committee. It shall be the duty of this 
committee to do its utmost to promote the reading of 
good books and papers. To this end it shall do what it can 
to circulate the religious newspaper representing the So- 
ciety among its members, also to obtain subscribers for the 
denominational papers or magazines among the families 
of the congregation as the pastor and church may direct. 
It may, if deemed best, distribute tracts and religious 



IIO YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 

leaflets, and in any other suitable way which may be de- 
sired introduce good reading matter wherever practicable. 
Other committees not here found may be added as oc- 
casion may demand and the church may desire. 

Article XL 
Members who cannot meet with this Society for a time 
are requested to obtain leave of absence, which shall be 
granted by the Lookout Committee and Pastor and with- 
drawn at any time by the same, and their names shall be 
placed on the Absent List. 

Article XII. 
members shall constitute a quorum. 



Article XIII. 
These By-Laws may be amended by a two-thirds vote 
of the members present at any regular meeting, provided 
that notice of such amendment is given in writing and is 
recorded by the Secretary at least one week before the 
amendment is acted upon. 



CHAPTER XV. 

THE EPWORTH LEAGUE CONSTITUTION. 

As might have been expected, the Young People's 
Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church is char- 
acterized by elaborated organization, geared into 
the system of operations which is so firmly knit to- 
gether in the Methodist denomination, "by that 
which every joint supplieth." 

Another trait which is equally characteristic of 
Methodism is that the League is organized from 



YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 117 

above downward. The Christian Endeavor So- 
cieties began by spontaneous organization in in- 
dividual congregations ; the United Society, and the 
provincial organizations, larger and smaller, exist 
by combination of these units, and use such author- 
ity or render such service as these units may wish 
to have them. The like is true of the Lend-a-Hand 
Societies, and of the King's Daughters and Sons. 
This sort of organization is distinctly American, 
and illustrative of the principle of E plaribus unutn. 
In the Epworth League, on the other hand, the in- 
dividual societies exist by virtue of a charter from 
the central authority, or "Board of Control," pre- 
sided over by one of the bishops of the Church, 
and consisting of five ministers and nine laymen 
appointed by the bishops, and of fourteen other 
members, elected each by one of the General Con- 
ference Districts. The bishop presiding over the 
Board of Control has his "Cabinet" of nine per- 
sons : 1, a General Secretary, and 2, 3, Assistant 
Secretaries, one for the German work, one for the 
work among the Colored Conferences ; 4, the edi- 
tor of "The Epworth Herald;" 5, a General 
Treasurer; 6, 7, 8, 9, four Vice-Presidents, having 
in charge four several departments of the League's 
work. The First Vice-President is in charge of the 
Spiritual Department; the Second Vice-President, 
of the "Mercy and Help" Department; the Third 
Vice-President, of the Literary Department, and 
the Fourth Vice-President is in charge of the Social 
Department. 

This organization of the general League is the 



Il8 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 

norm or pattern according to which each local 
League is expected to organize itself. The form 
of Constitution provided for local Chapters of the 
League is as follows : 

Article I. 
Name. This organization shall be known as the Ep- 

worth League of the Methodist Episcopal 

Church of , and shall be subordinate to the 

Quarterly Conference of said church, and a Chapter of 
the Epworth League of the Methodist Episcopal Church. 

Article II. 
Object. The object of the League is to promote intelli- 
gent and vital piety in the young members and friends of 
the Church; to aid them in the attainment of purity of 
heart and in constant growth in grace, and to train them 
in works of mercy and help. 

Article III. 
Membership. I. Members shall be constituted by election 
of the Chapter, on nomination of the President, after ap- 
proval by the Cabinet. 2. The pastor shall be ex-oMcio a 
a member of the Chapter and the Cabinet.* 



*Wherever a Chapter so decides there shall be two 
classes of members, active and associate. Active mem- 
bers shall, in addition to election as provided in section 1, 
subscribe to the following pledge: 

I will earnest seek for myself, and do what I can to 
help others attain, the highest New Testament standard 
of experience and life. I will abstain from all those forms 
of worldly amusement forbidden by the Discipline of the 
Methodist Episcopal Church. And I will attend, so far as 
possible, the religious meetings of the Chapter and the 
Church, and take some active part in them. 

In such cases active members only shall be eligible to 
election as officers of the Chapter. Associate members 
shall be entitled to all other privileges of membership. 



YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 119 

Article IV. 

Departments. — The work of the League shall be car- 
ried out through six departments, as follows: 1. Depart- 
ment of Spiritual Work. 2. Department of Mercy and 
Help. 3. Department of Literary Work. 4. Department 
of Social Work. 5. Department of Correspondence. 6. 
Department of Finance. 

The distribution of work under each department shall 
be as follows: 

I. Department of Spiritual Work. — This department will 
arrange for the regular prayer-meetings of the Chapter. 
It may also plan special revival meetings and neighbor- 
hood outdoor and cottage services and the like. It shall 
look after the spiritual welfare of the members of the 
Chapter, inviting those who are interested to join the 
classes of the Church. It may conduct children's prayer- 
meetings or devotional meetings for special classes of per- 
sons, as sailors, railroad men, etc. It shall help the super- 
intendent in building up and strengthening the Sunday- 
school. It shall also endeavor to interest the young people 
in the missionary enterprises of the Church. To it shall 
be committed all the evangelistic and devotional activities 
of the Chapter. Where the work of the League is so di- 
vided that the different departments interweave their 
efforts, the Department of Spiritual Work shall arrange 
for the devotional services in sociables, lectures, and all 
such meetings. 

II. Department of Mercy and Help. — This department 
shall arrange for the systematic visitation of the members 
of the Chapter, the sick of the neighborhood, the aged, the 
newcomers in the community. It shall interest the League 
in the charities of the place, and plan to give aid when 
needed. It shall have charge of temperance work, social 
purity work, tract distribution^ Christian citizenship, and 
the like. All kinds of charitable work when undertaken 
by the Chapter, such as visiting hospitals, nursing, dis- 
tributing flowers, starting industrial schools, running em- 



120 YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 

ployment bureaus, coffee-houses, day nurseries, etc., shall 
be -under its care. 

III. Department of Literary Work. — It shall be the aim of 
this department to encourage the study of the Scriptures, 
to instruct the membership of the Chapter in the doc- 
trines, polity, history and present activities of the Metho- 
dist Episcopal Church and the other denominations of the 
Church universal, and to give stimulus and direction to 
general Christian culture. It shall have charge of all 
courses of reading and study pursued by the Chapter. It 
may open, wherever practicable, libraries, reading rooms, 
art rooms, night schools and the like. It shall arrange for 
lectures and literary gatherings, when members of the 
Chapter and others shall present essays, papers, talks, de- 
bates, etc. It shall endeavor to extend the circulation of 
the books and papers of the Church, and do what it can 
to quicken the intellectual life of its members and the com- 
munity. 

IV. Department of Social Work. — This department shall 
be on the outlook for new members, and be ready to re- 
ceive them and introduce them at all meetings of the Chap- 
ter. It shall have charge of the social part of all gather- 
ings. The music of the Chapter and its entertainments, 
other than the literary programs, shall be under its care. 
It may provide flowers for the pulpit, ushers when needed, 
and attend to procuring badges, emblems, banners, decora- 
tions, etc., and be the custodian of all such effects belong- 
ing to the Chapter. Picnics, excursions, and the like shall 
be under its care. 

V. Department of Correspondence. — This department shall 
keep a complete record of the membership, of all the 
meetings, and of all courses of reading and study pursued 
by the Chapter. It is desirable that it send reports of its 
meetings to local papers. Also, that it keep copies of all 
programs, newspaper and other notices of its affairs, 
and all memorabilia relating to its doings. It may carry 
on correspondence with absent members and other Chap- 



YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 121 

ters, and read the replies at the meetings of the Chapter 
as the Chapter may order. It shall conduct all corre- 
spondence with the central and district officers, and be the 
custodian of all the records of the Chapter. By it mem- 
bers in good standing shall be recommended to other 
Chapters. 

VI. Department of Finance. — This department shall 
present to the Chapter plans for meeting the financial 
needs of the Chapter. It shall collect all dues and receive 
all moneys, disbursing the same as the Chapter may 
direct. All matters involving an expenditure of money 
shall be referred to it for consideration before the final 
action of the Chapter. 

Article V. 

Officers, i. The officers shall be a President, First Vice- 
President, Second Vice-President, Third Vice-President, 
Fourth Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer. 

2. The President, who shall be a member of the Metho- 
dist Episcopal Church, shall be elected by ballot on a 
majority vote. The other officers, who shall be members 
of the Methodist Episcopal or some other evangelical 
Church,* shall be elected in the same manner. 

3. All officers must be approved by the Quarterly Con- 
ference or the Official Board. 

4. After approval by the Quarterly Conference or Offi- 
cial Board the names of the officers, with their addresses, 
shall be promptly forwarded to the Central Office of the 
Epworth League. 

5. The officers shall perform the duties usually assigned 
to such officers. They shall also, in the order named, 
beginning with the First Vice-President, represent, and 
have charge of, the Departments of Spiritual Work, Mercy 
and Help, Literary Work, Social Work, Correspondence, 



* In all those cases where the Chapter is divided into 
active and associate members this clause should read, 
"who shall be active members." 



122 YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 

and Finance. They shall, together with the President and 
Pastor, constitute the Cabinet of the Chapter, aiding the 
President as he may request. 

6. For the purpose of enlisting all in the work, and 
rendering it more effective, the Cabinet shall assign each 
member to at least one department of work. Each Cabinet 
officer shall name to the Chapter a committee of from 
three to five members for the management of his depart- 
ment, the officer being ex-oificio chairman. 

7. It shall be the duty of the Cabinet to organize a 
Junior League, under the control of a Superintendent, to 
be appointed by the pastor. The Superintendent shall be 
a member, ex-ofhcio, of the Cabinet. 

Article VI. 
Meetings. The Chapter shall hold a devotional meeting 

on evening of each week, to be led by one of the 

members of the Chapter under the direction of the Com- 
mittee on Spiritual Work. Other meetings shall be held 
as the Cabinet may arrange for them. 

Article VII. 
By-Laws and Amendments. The Chapter may adopt such 
By-Laws consistent with the Constitution as may be need- 
ed. Amendments to Constitution or By-Laws must be 
submitted in writing to the Cabinet, and when approved 
by it may be adopted by a two-thirds vote of those present 
at any regular meeting; provided, however, the pledge be 
kept inviolate. 

The instructions given to the several officers in 
"The Epworth League Handbook for 1899" are 
full of suggestions that may profitably be studied 
by those concerned in a Young People's Society of 
any name. The traits of the Methodist discipline 
appear in it, indeed, but the distribution of labor 
and responsibility is admirable. We condense the 
language of the Handbook : 



YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 1 23 

The President. He should have (1) experience in the 
working plans of the organization; (2) knowledge of local 
conditions and needs; (3) a sense of the dignity and im- 
portance of his office; (4) enthusiasm to face discourage- 
ments and win success. He should be carefully selected, 
not for the purpose of honoring any individual, however 
deserving. But the President alone cannot make the 
work a success. He must have a good cabinet, and the 
support and co-operation of all the members. 

Hints to the President: (1) Organize your Cabinet im- 
mediately after election, and have members assigned to 
department work at once. (2) In these assignments, con- 
sult the wishes of the Cabinet officers and the aptitudes of 
the several members. (3) Make each Cabinet officer feel 
that while you stand ready to help, the responsibility for 
the work of his department, lies with him. (4) Be prompt 
in attendance at all meetings of church and Chapter. (5) 
Be the right-hand man of the pastor. Notify him of the 
meetings of the Cabinet and of the various departments, 
and invite him to attend. (6) Always notify the Junior 
Superintendent of the Cabinet meetings, and call for her 
report. (7) Do not undertake so much other church 
work that you cannot give full attention to the Epworth 
League. (8) Urge each department to hold regular meet- 
ings; attend these meetings, and advise, but do not dictate. 
(9) Be systematic, prompt, cheerful, appreciative, sympa- 
thetic, helpful. 

The First Vice-President, in charge of the Spiritual 
Department. Devotional meetings are sensitive to very 
little things. It is easy to arouse them, but easier to dull 
and chill them. 

Hints to the Leader of the Prayer-Meeting: (1) Be 
punctual. Begin the meeting on time, if you have to 
begin it alone. (2) Be brief. Allow yourself not more 
than four or five minutes for your comments on the sub- 
ject. (3) Be prepared. Have hymns selected in advance, 
passages of Scripture to be read, looked up, thoughts to 
be touched on arranged in order in the mind. (4) Keep 



124 YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 

the piano or organ subordinate to the singing. (5) Rarely 
take the devotional meeting to learn new hymns. A 
prayer-meeting should not be a singing school. (6) 
Do not always call on persons to pray. Leave some- 
thing to the voluntary service of those present. (7) Avoid 
stereotyped phrases in the lulls that sometimes come; 
better a little silence or a verse of a Lymn, than a hack- 
neyed formula. (8) Get a few persons pledged privately 
to assist in the meeting by speaking or praying. (9) Give 
the meeting liberty. Do not tie it up too tightly to the 
subject in hand, nor be too rigid with a time limit. (10) 
Notice the good points made during the meeting, and 
briefly touch them just before the close. (11) Have ready 
some incident or illustration bearing on the subject, for 
use in closing. (12) Close promptly. Take five minutes 
to gather the meeting together, make closing remarks, 
announce closing hymn, and finish the service. 

The Second Vice-President, in charge of the Mercy 
and Help Department. There is place for this Depart- 
ment in city, village and country alike. The work of this 
Department includes efforts to save society by vanquish- 
ing the sins that prey upon it. 

Hints to the Second Vice-President: (1) Have representa- 
tives of all ages and classes in the chapter, on the Mercy 
and Help Committee, so as to use and reach all classes. 
(2) Seek out the aged, sick and needy, and provide for sys- 
tematic visitation of them. (3) Keep a record of names 
and residences of those needing relief; this record will be 
useful to a new committee succeeding to the work. (4) 
Co-operate in arranging for temperance meetings and 
circulating temperance literature. 

The Third Vice-President, in charge of the Literary 
Department. Excellence in this department will come 
only as the result of patient, well-planned effort. The 
great essential to success is a real living, acting, thinking 
third vice-president. 

Hints for the Third Vice-President: (1) Let your work 
be just as religious as that of the Spiritual Department. 



YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 1 25 

(2) Pay no attention to the apology that people have no 
time for literature. Most young people do more reading 
than the League asks for, only it is not along the right 
lines. (3) In a friendly way, find out "what books, papers 
and magazines are already being read, and adopt all the 
literary work already being done. (4) Take the Reading 
Course yourself; get your pastor to take it; if you two 
read the books simultaneously, others will be induced to 
do it. (5) Forget not the Bible Study. It is more im- 
portant than anything else. (6) Work up the subscription 
list of the "Epworth Herald." (7) Do not get tangled up 
with the Social Department, but co-operate with it. (8) 
While doing the utmost to promote self-culture, remem- 
ber that in the case of many a college education is attain- 
able, even though it is at a sacrifice. 

The Fourth Vice-President, in charge of the Social 
Department. Select for this office one with special, defi- 
nite qualifications. Assign to this work a fair share of 
the more spiritually minded and conservative members of 
the chapter. Give the work a real place in its affairs. 
Make an honest effort to provide suitable recreation and 
suggest proper fields for social effort. 

Hints for the Fourth Vice-President : (1) Supply yourself 
with the literature devoted to your department, namely: 
The League at Work Booklets, Fifty Social Evenings, 
Nos. 1 and 2, and the Department Leaflets, the Social 
Department Catechism, and Some Kind Words Con- 
cerning Questionable Amusements. (2) Make a scrap- 
book of suggestions for your work. (3) Suggest some 
definite line of activity to each member. (4) Have a 
"new members" subcommittee to invite young people 
into the League. (5) Have a "reception" subcommittee 
on duty at social gatherings and before and after church 
services. (6) The "entertainment" subcommittee should 
provide entertainments at times approved by pastor and 
Cabinet. (7) Supply flowers for pulpit and League room, 
to be afterwards bestowed on the sick, through the Mercy 
and Help Department. (8) Provide good music, where 



126 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 

any is required. Organize an Epworth chorus, where 
practicable. (9) Supply ushers wherever they are wanted. 
(10) Encourage members of the church to open their 
homes to the young people of the League. 

Those interested in other forms of organization 
will make allowance, in reading the foregoing con- 
densed extracts, for what there is in them that is 
special to the Epworth League, and to its gearing 
into the machinery of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church. But after all such allowances, they will 
find much to admire and imitate in the classifica- 
tion and distribution of duties, and in the details 
of suggestion. A great variety of duties can be 
distributed among subcommittees; but there is 
obvious advantage in having them thus grouped in 
four main divisions. Inasmuch as it is intended 
that every member of the League shall be 
definitely assigned a place in some department, it 
is possible even in small societies to maintain this 
four-fold organization complete ; while it is capable 
of being expanded to comprehend all the activities 
of the largest societies. 

In the Christian Endeavor organizations, the 
same admirable object is kept in view, of assigning 
definite duties to every member. This object is 
sought by methods recommended in Dr. Francis 
E. Clark's booklet on "The Work of the Commit- 
tees. " Instead of imposing a rigid constitution, as 
under the Methodist system, the United Society of 
Christian Endeavor proceeds only by suggestion, 
encouraging the largest liberty of variation to adapt 
each organization to local needs. The advice con- 



YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 127 

tained in this little manual is the result of practical 
and successful experience. It must needs lose 
something from further condensation, but the para- 
graphs that follow will not be useless, if they send 
the reader to the little pamphlet from which we 
freely quote. 

How Many Committees to Have. There are three 
that seem indispensable: the Lookout, the Prayer-meet- 
ing and the Social Committees. A good rule is to have 
just as many committees as can be set at work, and no 
more. There are usually five members on each committee. 
Young ladies and the younger members of the Society 
should be included in making up the committees. The 
committees are usually changed every six months, retain- 
ing some of the former members and bringing new mem- 
bers into service. Thus with nine or ten committees even 
a large society can be kept busy. Officers and committees 
should be selected by a nominating committee, and elected 
by the Society. 

Two Opposite Dangers are to be avoided: First, a dis- 
position to shirk the duties and responsibilities of office; 
and secondly, a disposition to feel aggrieved if not ap- 
pointed. In some societies a by-law has been adopted, to 
be read before each semi-annual election, warning against 
both these dangers. 

A Report in Writing should be made by each com- 
mittee every month, whether there is much to report or 
little. 

The Lookout Committee has for its duty to bring new 
members into the Society, to introduce them to the work 
and to the other members, to look after and reclaim the 
indifferent 

The Prayer-meeting Committee has in charge the 
prayer-meeting, sees that a topic is assigned and a leader 
appointed for each meeting, and promotes faithfulness to 
the prayer-meeting pledge. 



128 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 

The Social Committee welcomes strangers, provides 
for the mutual acquaintance of members by occasional 
socials. 

The Executive Committee consists of the pastor of the 
church, the officers of the Society and the chairmen of 
committees. All matters of business requiring debate 
come before this committee, to be reported to the Society. 
Recommendations concerning the finances of the Society 
originate with this committee. 

The Sunday-school Committee endeavors to bring 
non-attendants into the Sunday-school, and co-operates, 
in general, with the officers of the school. 

The Calling Committee cares for those among the 
young people who do not feel at home in the church, by 
calling on them, or reminding others to call. 

The Music Committee provides for singing at the 
Society's meetings, and wherever else the Society's musi- 
cal ability can be made useful. 

The Missionary Committee provides for an occasional 
missionary meeting, and promotes interest and activity for 
home and foreign missions. 

The Flower Committee provides flowers for the pul- 
pit, and afterwards distributes them to the sick. 

The Temperance Committee promotes temperance 
principles and sentiment among the members of the So- 
ciety. 

The Relief Committee is to cheer and aid the sick 
and destitute among the young people of the church and 
Sunday-school. 

The Good Literature Committee promotes the read- 
ing of good books and periodicals, and the circulation of 
religious papers in families. 

Undoubtedly, the several committees thus pro- 
vided for do cover the same ground that is covered 
by the four departments, with their subcommittees, 
in the Epworth League. But it is easy to recognize 
in these an improved system, and to expect that in 



YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 1 29 

that process of mutual assimilation by which the 
various societies are learning from each other, the 
grouping of committees for combined and co-ordi- 
nated work will be adopted by the societies of the 
Christian Endeavor type. The appreciation and 
commendation of this characteristic of the Epworth 
Constitution that is manifested by the National Bap- 
tist Union, is creditable to both parties. 

Some further modification will probably have to 
be made in the grouping. The rising missionary 
enthusiasm has already led the Epworth League 
of Canada to raise the missionary work from a sub- 
title under the Department of Spiritual 'Work to a 
department by itself, while the Central League in 
the United States is even now seeking to have the 
Temperance and Good Citizenship Work advanced 
to the care of subcommittees. This process of ad- 
justment will be continued, as circumstances call for 
the unusual emphasizing of particular lines of work. 

THE EPWORTH LEAGUE CONSTITUTION OF THE 
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, SOUTH. 

The father of the Christian JEndeavor Societies 
seems to refer the origin and rapid growth of these 
organizations in part to the congelation of the 
prayer-meeting. (See page 68, above.) A like 
fact is the decay of the class-meeting from its early 
vigor in the days of the founders of American 
Methodism. In both cases, an earlier institution 
has had to be either reinvigorated, or partly super- 
seded by the new T er institution. In both cases, and 



13° YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 

throughout the whole American Church in all its 
divisions, there has been going on the ferment of a 
new vintage, and there was need of new bottles. 
The Epworth League, South, following the organi- 
zation of the Northern Church, was by no means 
a close and servile imitator. According to the 
Constitution officially prescribed for its local Chap- 
ters, each one of these is under the supervision of 
the pastor of the church, and the control of the 
Quarterly Conference. Its object is "the promo- 
tion of piety and loyalty to our Church among the 
young people, their education in the Bible and 
Christian literature, and their encouragement in 
works of grace and charity." Active members are 
all persons not under twelve years of age, who are 
elected to membership on nomination of the Coun- 
cil, and pledged to attend and take part in the 
meetings. Honorary members are constituted by 
the payment of one dollar. 

The work of the League is divided, not into six 
departments, as in the Northern Epworth Leagues, 
but into three, as follows: (i) The Department of 
Worship, having charge of all devotional services, 
missionary and temperance meetings, etc. (2) The 
Department of Charity and Help, providing for the 
systematic visitation of the sick, the needy and 
strangers, and assisting the pastor in charitable and 
church work. (3) The Department of Literary 
Work, to promote the study of the Bible and of 
Church history, doctrines and polity; to superin- 
tend the prescribed courses of reading and study ; 
to arrange for lectures, literary entertainments, etc. ; 



YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 131 

and "to extend the circulation of the books, tracts 
and periodicals of our own Church, especially the 
organ of the League/' 

It would seem that this simplifying of the organi- 
zation, and reducing of the number of officers, is 
a wise expedient to adapt the Society to conditions 
more frequently to be encountered at the South — 
the sparseness of population and consequent diffi- 
culty of holding frequent meetings and sustaining 
large concerted operations. On these accounts, the 
rules have been left not only simple, but elastic. 
The number, time and place of meetings is left to 
be decided by each local League for itself. "It was 
thought best to leave all this matter to the League 
itself, as what would suit one might not suit an- 
other. Some Leagues will hold a prayer-meeting 
every week ; some, half a dozen prayer-meetings ; 
while some may not be able to hold more than one a 
month." 

In spite of all disadvantages, the Southern Ep- 
worth League has nobly prospered. And one good 
fruit of the common prosperity of these Leagues in 
the three latitudes, the South, the North and Can- 
ada, has been manifested in growing fellowship of 
the divided and sometimes alienated Methodist 
churches across the separating parallels. It is a 
happy millennial sign that among the Methodists 
and also among the Baptists, some of the earliest 
indications of the knitting together of sundered ties 
of fellowship across the ''bridge of war" should 
come from the combination of their Young People's 
Societies. As it is written, "a chil"3 shall lead them." 



132 YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 

CHAPTER XVI. 

THE CONSTITUTION OF THE BAPTIST YOUNG 

people's UNION. 

In the differentiation of the Christian Endeavor 
organization into various forms specially adapted 
to the requirements of the various denominations, 
are to be recognized two very helpful and hopeful 
tendencies : first, there is the tendency in each new 
order to emphasize new points, characterizing and 
distinguishing it from the others ; and then there 
is the countervailing tendency in each to adopt 
from the others any new method or expedient that 
may have been found to work well. As a happy 
consequence of such action and reaction, the char- 
acteristic differences that may be noted in the sev- 
eral organizations tend to become evened up and 
obscured. Nevertheless, the traits originally im- 
printed on each organization will to a certain ex- 
tent persist. 

As the Christian Endeavor Societies had empha- 
sized above everything religious consecration and 
worship, so the Baptist Young People's Union, 
while not losing sight of the primary purpose of 
the Christian Endeavor, was zealous, from the be- 
ginning, to "add to its faith knowledge." Borrow- 
ing something from the methods of "Chautauqua," 
it organized an elaborate system of studies, ex- 
aminations and graduations, including not only the 
study of the Holy Scriptures, but whatever other 
departments of knowledge are necessary to the 



YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 133 

equipment of the Christian man or woman for ser- 
vice in the church and in society. It need not be 
added that in the planning of the various courses 
of study the distinctive tenets of the Baptist 
churches are not neglected. It is the purpose of 
the organization that its members shall become 
thoroughly trained and intelligently indoctrinated 
as members of Baptist churches. And the careful 
study of the courses of reading and methods of 
examination and conditions of the granting of cer- 
tificates will be full of good suggestions to those 
who in any Young People's Society may wish to 
pursue parallel lines of effort. 

Naturally, the characteristic aims of the Union 
have affected the form of its organization. The 
draft of a "local constitution" recommended by the 
national Young People's Union emphasizes "the 
object of the Union." It is "to secure the increased 
spirituality of our Baptist Young People; their 
stimulation in Christian service ; their edification in 
Scripture knowledge; their instruction in Baptist 
doctrine and history ; and their enlistment in all mis- 
sionary activity through existing denominational 
organizations." The deviations in this form of con- 
stitution from the type presented by the organiza- 
tion of the Christian Endeavor Societies are not 
considerable. But an alternative form is suggested 
which shows a wise disposition to copy some of the 
best features of the Epworth League Constitution. 
The Epworth League may well repay in this form 
the stimulus which the Baptist Union has given 
to the educational work of all the Orders. 



134 young people's societies. 

The following is a copy of the local Constitution 
recommended by the Baptist Young People's 
Union of America, in which is shown, in the sub- 
stitute allowed for Article V, the influence of the de- 
partment idea of the Epworth League. 

Article I. 
Name. The name of this organization or department 

shall be The Baptist Young People's Union of the 

Church. 

Article II. 

Object. The object of this Union shall be to secure the 
increased spirituality of our Baptist Young People; their 
stimulation in Christian service; their edification in Scrip- 
ture knowledge; their instruction in Baptist doctrine and 
history; and their enlistment in all missionary activity 
through existing denominational organizations. 

Article III. 

Membership. Sec. i. The membership may consist of 
three classes: Active, Associate and Honorary. 

Sec. 2. The Active membership shall consist of persons 
who are members of a Baptist church, elected upon the 
recommendation of the Executive Committee, and who 
have signed the constitution, assenting to the following 
pledge: "Relying upon Divine help I hereby promise to 
strive to be true to Christ in all things, and at all times; 
to seek the New Testament standard of Christian ex- 
perience and life; to attend every meeting of the Union, 
unless hindered by reasons approved by a good con- 
science, and to take some part in the services, aside from 
singing, if it is possible to do so with sincerity and truth."* 

Sec. 3. The Associate membership shall consist of per- 
sons who, though not members of a Baptist church, are 
of good moral character; elected upon the recommenda- 



*The Pledge and also Associate Membership are op- 
tional features with each local Society. 



YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 135 

tion of the Executive Committee. Such Associate mem- 
bers shall be welcome to all the privileges of the Society, 
except voting and holding office. 

Sec. 4. Honorary members may be elected at the pleas- 
ure of the Society. 

Article IV. 

Officers. The officers shall be a President, a Vice-Presi- 
dent, a Secretary, a Corresponding Secretary and a Treas- 
urer, all of whom shall be chosen annually or semi-an- 
nually, and shall perform the duties usually appertaining 
to such offices. 

Article V. 

Committees. — The Pastor and President are ex-oflicio 
members of all committees, and their approval should ac- 
company the plans and recommendations made by the 
committees. The committees and their duties shall be as 
follows: 

Membership. — To have charge of the distribution of in- 
vitation cards; to bring in new members; to introduce 
them; to encourage attendance upon all meetings, and to 
interest all young people of the church and congregation 
in the work of the Union. 

Devotional. — To arrange, in connection with the pastor 
and president, for all prayer-meetings; provide topics, sing- 
ing books, leaders and organist; and seek in every way 
to promote the interest of the meetings. 

Instruction. — To arrange for Bible study, lectures on re- 
ligious topics, courses of general denominational and mis- 
sionary reading and instruction; to develop and promote 
all that belongs to this feature of the work, and have 
charge of the library. 

Social. — To call upon and welcome strangers; to provide 
for sociables; to extend acquaintance among the members, 
and to increase the interest of all meetings of the Union. 

Tracts and Publications. — To provide for the circulation 
of the Scriptures, tracts and other current denominational 
and missionary literature. 

Missions. — To divide the territory of the church into dis- 



136 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 

tricts; secure visitors; seek new scholars for the Sunday- 
school; visit absent scholars; assist the pastor in securing 
contributions for missions and other objects; seek to in- 
spire in all the young people a desire to cultivate the grace 
of giving and a worthy zeal in all church, local, state, 
home and foreign mission work. 

Temperance. — To distribute literature on the subject, 
arrange for meetings in its interests, and do everything 
possible to promote temperance principles and sentiments 
in the members of the organization and in the community. 

Executive. — To consist of the pastor and officers, to meet 
once a month, also at the call of the pastor or president; 
to consider all matters of business and make recommenda- 
tions to the Union and to report to the church annually 
the progress of the work of the young people. The Ex- 
ecutive Committee may make recommendations at any 
regular meeting, and all other committees shall report 
their work to the Society at least every two months, at a 
regular weekly meeting to be designated by the Executive 
Committee. 

Article VI. 

Elections. The president shall be elected by the Union, 
subject to the approval of the church. All other officers 
and committees shall be nominated by a committee of five, 
and be elected by the Society. 

Article VII. 
Meetings. Devotional meetings shall be held weekly. 
Meetings for Bible study shall be held at such times as 
may be determined by the Union. The annual meeting 
shall occur at least one week before the annual meeting 
of the church. Business meetings shall be held at the call 
of the Executive Committee. 

Article VIII. 
Amendments. This Constitution may be amended at 
any regular business meeting by a two-thirds vote, pro- 
vided notice of the amendment shall have been given at a 
previous regular meeting. 



YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 137 

The following article may be used by those who prefer 
it to Article V of the Constitution: 

Article V. 

Departments and Sections. Sec. i. There shall be three 
departments — Devotional, Educational and Social— each 
under the direction of a superintendent and two assistants. 

Sec. 2. The superintendent of each department and his 
assistants shall plan for the three orders of public meet- 
ings held by the Society. 

Sec. 3. The entire membership shall be divided into 

sections of members each, one of whom shall be 

leader. 

Sec. 4. Each section shall adopt some special work as 
its particular province, under the direction of the Execu- 
tive Committee. 

Sec. 5. The leader of each section shall have special 
supervision over the members of his group, urging them 
to attend and participate in the devotional' meetings of 
the church and Society, enlisting them in the Bible study 
meetings, and welcoming and introducing them to others 
at social gatherings. 

Sec. 6. The Executive Committee, consisting of the 
pastor and officers of this organization, shall appoint the 
superintendents and assistants of each department, and 
leaders of sections, subject always to the approval of the 
Society; they shall consider all matters of business, and 
make recommendations to the Union; they shall hold a 
conference once in two months with the superintendents 
of departments and their assistants and the leaders of the 
sections, to devise and assign new work, and to consider 
any changes of work that may be desirable among the 
sections; they shall report to the church annually the 
progress of the work of the young people. 

Sec. 7. The leaders of the sections shall, immediately 
following their appointment choose, in conference with 

the Executive Committee members to found their 

respective sections. The remaining positions to be filled 
by new members during the year, 



138 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 

Sec. 8. Superintendents of departments and leaders of 
sections shall report at least once in two months at the 
experience meeting. 



CHAPTER XVII. 

THE LUTHER LEAGUE CONSTITUTION. 

The model Constitution offered to individual 
Leagues is short and very general, consisting only 
of four articles each, in Constitution and By-laws. 

The object of the local League is "the improve- 
ment of its members, morally, socially, intellectually 
and spiritually, and to render to the Church such 
aid as may lie in its power/' 

Membership may be either Active, Associate or 
Honorary. Active members are those "who are 
members of an evangelical Lutheran church." As- 
sociate members are such as "have declared their 
intention of joining a Lutheran church. " Honorary 
members are those "who have rendered the League 
valuable service. " The pastor is ex-ofhcio an honor- 
ary member. The By-laws provide for monthly 
business meetings, initiation fees and monthly dues. 
There is no provision made for committee or de- 
partment work. The methods employed adapt 
themselves somewhat to the spirit and inclination 
of the young people, yet have much higher pur- 
poses in view. They seek to convert a "crowd" 
into "an organized and drilled company/' and free 
use is made of the committee and department 
ideas of other Young People's Societies. The 



YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 139 

educational feature is made much of. The League 
says : "Young Lutheran, know thy Church." But 
after knowledge comes work. Starting with loyalty 
to their historic Church, the young Lutherans 
"have awakened to an appreciation of their Church's 
history ; are cultivating a desire to know her 
achievements, her doctrines and her mission. 
. . . . 'Labor/ the watchword of the last con- 
vention in New York, is only a natural reflection of 
that loyalty and knowledge which have already 
borne fruit in increased activity in both the local 
and general Church work/' — Luther League Hand- 
book. 



CHAPTER XVIII. 

THE CONSTITUTIONS OF THE CHRISTIAN UNIONS. 

I. The Young People's Christian Union of the 
United Brethren in Christ works under a Constitu- 
tion bearing close resemblance to that of the Y. P. 
S. C. E. The Constitution provides for Active and 
Associate members, of whom the Active members 
are such as have professed their faith in Christ. 
The work is carried on through committees. 

Societies who desire it may adopt the Y. P. S. 
C. E. provisions for prayer-meeting pledge, and 
consecration meetings, and in such case are to be 
called Young People's Societies of Christian En- 
deavor. 

Provision is made for literary meetings "for the 
pursuit of some definite course of study or of some 



140 YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 

program," to be held under the direction of the 
Literary Committee, "provided that nothing be 
given inconsistent with their position as a Christian 
Society." 

II. The Young People's Christian Union of the 
Universalist Church shows its indebtedness also to 
the Y. P. S. C. E. in the general character of its 
Recommended Constitution for local Unions. The 
object of the organization is declared to be "the 
religious culture of its members, the rendering of 
all possible Christian service, and to bring its mem- 
bers into closer relations with the Universalist 
Church." 

"Any person is eligible to membership in the 
Union who is in sympathy with its purposes, and 
who is willing to engage heartily in its work." 

T\ie members are pledged to attend and "take 
some part, however slight, in every devotional 
meeting." The following confession of duty is 
recommended for use in the consecration services : 

It is our duty to be obedient to the law and spirit 
of Jesus Christ our Master; to give some portion 
of each day to Christian study — the reading of the 
Bible, meditation^and prayer; to support the church 
with which we are related in every possible way, 
especially by attending its Sunday services, engag- 
ing earnestly in all its activities, and in every way, 
to the best of our ability, to lead a Christian life. 
May God help us to a faithful discharge of these and 
all duties which devolve ,upon us as moral and 
spiritual beings ! 

Its topics for Devotional Meetings for 1899 are 

grouped under heads, and are very suggestive and 



YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 141 

worth a wider use. For example, in January the 
theme is Denominational ; 

In February, National, including Temperance, 
Town Improvements, Christian Citizenship, Inter- 
national Dealings ; 

In March, Personal; 

In April, Spiritual ; 

In May, The Past ; 

In October, Philanthropic, including Religion in 
the Market, the Post Office Mission, Prison Sun- 
day, Charity and Justice. 



CHAPTER XIX. 

THE WORKING OF A YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETY. 

I. Its Meetings. 

Some Young People's Societies are organized 
on the basis of the maxim that Work is Worship — 
laborare est orare. Others emphasize the correla- 
tive maxim that Worship is Work. Each of these 
maxims has a good deal to say for itself ; but, after 
all, the healthiest and most vital of these associ- 
ations are those that recognize that both of the 
maxims are true, and that neither of them is the 
whole truth. The ideal Society provides, in one 
way or another, both for social worship and for 
useful and charitable work — in the language of 
the "Brotherhood of St. Andrew," its rule must 
be the double rule of Prayer and Service. Without 
exception, the wide-spreading and visibly flourish- 
ing Orders are those that are bound to a rule of fre- 



14^ YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 

quent meetings for spiritual devotion in which all 
the members actively and audibly take part. The 
methods of conducting these meetings for worship 
vary all the way from a fixed ritual with prescribed 
forms of prayer, to the studiously informal method 
which abhors a "rut," and will even invert the alpha- 
betical order of names in order to avoid the appear- 
ance of routine. 

The literature of this subject is fresh, copious and 
complete. Any local Society will naturally seek 
for suggestions and instructions at the headquar- 
ters of the General Society with which it is affili- 
ated. But there are general principles applying to 
all alike, some of which we do well to note. The 
rule of Prayer is flexible enough to cover both wor- 
ship and instruction. The rule of Service requires 
more than seeking to bring others to Christ. 

The working of the Young People's Society will 
concern (I) its Meetings and (II) its Activities. 

i. Meetings for Worship and Inspiration are vital 
to the continued life of any religious organization. 
The prayer-meeting must not and cannot give place 
to anything better. Here we get the best prepara- 
tion for life in society. Many hints and helpful 
suggestions have been put out during the past 
eighteen years about "How to Conduct a Prayer- 
meeting." We accept this copious literature as tes- 
timony to the place the prayer-meeting still holds 
in the thoughts and plans of the young people, 
without always finding it convenient and profitable 
to follow closely any specific directions. The order 
and method to be observed depend so much upon 



YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. I43 

the genius of the denomination, the character of the 
company gathered together, the attending circum- 
stances, the personality of the leader, the immedi- 
ate object sought, that no one can tell another how 
to do it. The great danger is that it may be be- 
lieved that somebody can, and that somebody be 
relied upon to do for us what we ought to do for 
ourselves. The same thing may be said of the 
abundant helps to participation in the meetings 
with whose riches the newspaper organs of the vari- 
ous Orders embarrass the well-intentioned wor- 
shiper. The strong temptation they put before 
leaders and the participants to use what is set be- 
fore them, asking no questions for laziness' sake, 
makes us often query whether these Helps are for 
us or against us. 

For beginners and immature persons, these vari- 
ous prayer-meeting suggestions may be exceed- 
ingly useful, provided they are not much used, but 
undoubtedly the best prayer-meeting is that in 
which the leader comes to his task from much 
prayer and study of the already-announced sub- 
ject, prepared w T ith his own suggestions born of the 
immediate situation, and in which the members 
come to their task with intelligent delight, with 
hearts and minds full, ready to speak as opportunity 
offers. A good prayer-meeting is no haphazard 
thing. It does not generally follow a prescribed 
rule. The preparation for prayer and praise and 
testimony may vary, but if the Spirit is there, all of 
it is pertinent. Sometimes the prayer-meeting will 
be all prayer, sometimes all praise, sometimes all 



144 YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 

testimony, from either the word or the heart, but 

always it will be purposeful. The leading thought 

will be, 

"Nearer, my God, to Thee, 
Nearer to Thee." 

This high standard should not be departed from. 
Every one called to lead a prayer-meeting is called 
to lead the best prayer-meeting; every participant 
ought to do better and better. The services of the 
prayer-meeting must aim at the best service of God 
we are capable of. The wide and inclusive useful- 
ness of the prayer-meeting will depend much upon 
the pledged attendance and participation. It is well 
known that the compulsory pledge marks the En- 
deavor type of Society. The Epworth League uses 
a like pledge where there are two classes of mem- 
bers, active and associate. Similarly, the United 
Brethren Christian Unions, while they do not use 
the Endeavor form, expect presence and participa- 
tion. The optional pledge belongs to the Baptist 
Union. 

For convenience of reference we place together 
the pertinent portions of these various pledges that 
their requirements may be seen at a glance. 

Christian Endeavor: 

"As an Active Member, I promise to be true to 
all my duties ; to be present at, and take some 
part, aside from singing, in every Christian En- 
deavor Prayer-meeting, unless hindered by some 
reason which I can conscientiously give to my Lord 
and Master. ,, 



young people s societies. 145 

Epworth League: 

"I will attend, as far as possible, the religious 
meetings of the Chapter and the Church and take 
some active part in them." 
Christian Union (United Brethren) : 

"All active members shall be present (at devo- 
tional meetings) and take some part, aside from 
singing, unless prevented by some reason accept- 
able to God/' 
Baptist Union : 

"Relying upon Divine help, I hereby promise 

to attend every meeting of the Union, 

unless hindered by reasons approved by a good 
conscience, and to take some part in the services, 
aside from singing, if it is possible to do so with 
sincerity and truth." 
Christian Union (Universalist Church) : 

"I promise to be obedient to the law and Spirit 
of Christ the Lord, and to give some portion of 
each day to Christian study, the reading of the 
Holy Scriptures, meditation and prayer ; that I will 
support my own Church in every way, especially by 
attending all her Sunday services as far as possible, 
and that, in so far as I know, I will endeavor to lead 
a Christian life. I promise to attend and take some 
part in every devotional meeting of the Society, by 
speaking, reading or reciting, unless prevented by 
some reason which I can offer out of a good con- 
science to my Teacher and Master." 

Under such blessed incitement the influence of 
the prayer-meeting upon the attendants must be 
great. The Endeavor Society adds its unique fea- 



146 . YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 

ture — the Consecration meeting — to swell the tide 
of spiritual growth and helpfulness in devotional 
meetings. "At this meeting in some way some ex- 
pression of renewed loyalty to Christ should be ob- 
tained from every active member." 

These expectations of Young People's Prayer- 
meetings, if met, mean most effective service. 

(a) That service must be intelligent service. The 
Young People's movement has done this among 
other things : it has taught the young people to 
think on life and duty. This pre-eminent service it 
has rendered to the prayer-meeting. By its prayer- 
meeting topics it has made a place for "mind and 
strength/' as well as for "heart and soul" in re- 
ligious worship, and is training a generation of 
Christians who have thought out some things for 
themselves, or, at least, thought on them. 

Before the rise of the modern Young People's 
Society, various young people's meetings had made 
use of prayer-meeting topics, but the prevailing 
usage was to have no topic for any prayer-meeting, 
and no definite preparation for participation by any- 
body but the leader. Now T , the list of topics pre- 
pared by the United Society of Christian Endeavor 
is used by two others of the great organizations — 
the Baptist Young People's Union and the Epworth 
League — while almost all the lesser Orders 
put a like premium upon thought. And, further, 
the system of rotation in leadership and pledged 
and expected participation in the meetings give to 
the Young People's Prayer-meeting variety and 
vigor in the chair, and brevity and breadth on the 



YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 147 

floor. Everything is to some purpose. The pray- 
ers are to the point, the songs have a place and do 
not merely fill a gap, the Scripture verses can be 
selected, the talk and testimony cannot be repeti- 
tious nor commonplace. 

The Young People's Prayer-meeting stands for 
intentional, intelligent participation in religious 
worship. It has already affected the Church prayer- 
meetings by stimulating to a like use of topics, with 
beneficial results. Its graduates and undergradu- 
ates have, in many Churches, brought life from the 
dead. 

(b) The Young People's Prayer-meeting is also 
a school of humility. Where every member in turn 
bears a more or less conspicuous part in the meet- 
ing, the chances of a "fall" are frequent, and les- 
sons in humility are thrust upon us. There is no 
more uninviting atmosphere for the display of ora- 
tory or learning or juvenile uppishness than that of 
the actual Young People's Prayer-meeting. Where 
that meeting is at the front, the young people are 
pretty sure to escape many attacks of priggishness 
or self-assertion. Where the doorway to service 
leads through the place of worship, the youthful 
tendency to exaltation becomes so modified by in- 
spiration that it issues bearing the marks of that 
humility which rates its claims low, while at the 
same time it never underrates itself. In the En- 
deavor ranks it is steadied by the meditations of 
"The Quiet Hour" and by association with the 
members of "The World's Christian Endeavor 
Prayer Chain." 



148 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 

2. But the prayer-meeting is not the only meeting 
the young people have. They meet for Instruction 
as well as Worship. Even the worship, as we have 
seen, is not unreflecting, and the way is open 
through thoughtful worship and devotion to intelli- 
gent study on religious and social themes. 

(i) And first, the Bible is studied. 

The King's Daughters and Sons find in the "Sil- 
ver Cross" of current dates a series of studies on 
"The Life of the Christ/' based on those prepared 
by the American Institute of Sacred Literature. A 
Bible class for young men has always been a dis- 
tinctive feature of Chapter work in "The Brother- 
hood of St. Andrew/' and in the Boys' Department 
of the same. 

The place and power of Bible study have nowhere 
been set forth more sympathetically and spiritually 
than in the following, taken from "Points on 
Brotherhood Work" : 

BIBLE STUDY. 

An army cannot get along without its marching orders. 
No more can the Brotherhood. God has given us such 
orders in the Bible. How far are we trying to understand 
them and carry them out? Did you ever see a train-hand 
studying his time-table? He studies it till he can tell you 
just what time No. i or No. 7 or No. 5 is due at any sta- 
tion. We need to bring the same diligence and thorough- 
ness to the study of God's word. Yet this is often sadly 
neglected. If your Chapter has not a Bible class, start 
one right away. How? Select a layman as leader. The 
rector has enough to do. It is not necessary that the 
leader should know his Bible very much better than the 
others. If he can give two or three hours a week to the 



YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 149 

preparation of the lesson, and can suggest lines of thought 
for the others to follow out and discuss, he has the 
necessary qualifications. Don't expect one man to do all 
the talking. Think over the lesson on your way to work 
and come prepared to say something. 

Hold the class on a week-night, rather than on Sunday. 
The Christian who gets but one spiritual meal a week is 
apt to be a thin one. If the class must be held on Sunday, 
try to hold it apart from the Sunday-school. Every 
stranger you meet should be invited to attend the class, 
but many will fail to attend if they think they are connect- 
ing themselves with a Sunday-school. 

You have not time, and probably not the ability, for an 
exhaustive, critical study of the Bible. Try rather to learn 
how its teachings apply to your daily life. 

The Bible is not a book; it is a library, the library of 
libraries. Try to enter into the spirit of the writers. They 
were busy men and they wrote for busy men. Bible study 
will make you a better business man. As you study, pray. 

In the early years of Christian Endeavor, Pro- 
fessor (now President) Harper prepared a series of 
Inductive Studies on the Life of Christ, for use by 
the members of that Society, and that study, wher- 
ever it was undertaken, proved in many a Society 
and many a young heart an open door to greater 
riches of truth. Nothing further in this line has 
been offered by the United Society save two recent 
courses of lessons on the life of Jesus for Juniors 
and a plan for reading the Bible through the current 
year, outlined and commented upon in the "Chris- 
tian Endeavor World/' 

Other Orders have seen the advantages of spe- 
cific Bible Study, and have embraced the oppor- 
tunity to promote careful searching of the Scrip- 



150 YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 

tures by offering courses of Biblical study in the 
Regular and Junior Departments of their work. 

Besides the usual Bible readings, which are mod- 
erately useful, we find, since 1893, in the Baptist 
Young People's Union a Bible Readers' Course, 
intended to "build up a stronger faith in the power 
of the Word," and showing "how to use it for Chris- 
tian edification and in soul-winning, meeting ob- 
jections and difficulties with appropriate Bible 
texts." That was preceded, in 1891, by the Study 
Hour, a series of thirty lessons on the writers of 
the New Testament, and their books, by Professor 
Ernest D. Burton. The next year a series of thirty 
chapters on the life of Christ, by Rev. O. C. S. 
Wallace, was offered, upon which examinations 
were held. In 1893, a Junior Bible Course was in- 
augurated. 

The present Bible Readers' Course is a part of 
the general Christian Culture Course (C. C. C), 
begun in 1893, and consisting besides of a Sacred 
Literature Course (S. L. C) and a Conquest Mis- 
sionary Course (C. M. C), upon all of which yearly 
written examinations are held. 

The Epworth League has not been slow in realiz- 
ing the power of intelligent Bible study. Besides 
issuing a series of Bible Studies, to be followed in 
connection with and explanation of the weekly 
prayer-meeting topics, it has in use and advertises 
an Epworth English Bible Course, consisting of 
the Book of Job, the Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and 
the Wisdom of Solomon, edited, with introduction 
and notes, by Prof. Richard G. Moulton ; Bible 



YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 151 

Studies for Epworth League Juniors, seven series 
of Bible lesson leaflets, used much by the Juniors ; 
three or four series of Supplemental Lessons, and 
Graded Studies in seven grades, covering Cate- 
chism, Life of Christ, Church and Jewish History, 
and Christian Evidences. 

The Societies belonging to the Young People's 
Christian Union of the United Brethren have 
offered to them two courses in Progressive Bible 
Studies, originally prepared by Mr. Fred S. Good- 
man, Associate State Secretary of the Y. M. C. A. 
of the State of New York, for the use of Bible train- 
ing classes in Young Men's Christian Associations, 
and adapted to the purpose in hand, by Rev. H. 
F. Shupe, the Corresponding Secretary of the 
Union and editor of its paper, the "Watchword." 

"The fundamental aim of these studies is to lead 
the student into the use of, and personal familiarity 
with, the Bible, and to teach him how to study it by 
practical illustrations in the class." The second 
course is by the same authors, and is on the Life 
and Letters of Paul. 

This may be enough to show how varied and in- 
teresting the study of the Bible may be made and 
is made in the Young People's meetings for in- 
struction. 

(2) Still further instruction is along missionary 
lines. A missionary revival among students has 
been going on parallel with the development of 
Young People's Societies, and it would not be 
strange to find the young people becoming sharers 
in the movement, and their Societies fields for the 



152 YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 

securing and training of missionary recruits, as well 
as for instruction in missions. Somehow, it seemed 
as if when students in colleges and seminaries were 
studying missionary fields and problems, it was 
neither unnecessary nor childish for the young 
people of the churches to know something, to know 
much of the Church's missionary work. 

And so, very early, the Endeavor Societies were 
initiated into this most fruitful and thrilling field of 
knowledge, by their missionary committees, who 
laid hold upon the increasing stores of information 
that the United Society and the various missionary 
Boards were glad to lay before them. Without 
definite plans, at first, the Young People's Societies 
are now holding missionary meetings with prepared 
programs, originated or borrowed, meaning to find 
out wdiat God hath wrought for the extension of 
His kingdom, and to use that knowledge for a bet- 
ter understanding of the missionary situation. 
Newspaper and magazine articles, leaflets, booklets, 
books and study courses have appeared all along 
the years, till now, few local societies would dare 
or care to refuse this instruction, and no large Cen- 
tral Union or League would withhold the advocacy 
of such teaching on the ground that it was uninter- 
esting or unprofitable. 

Under the inspiration of thoughtfulness, which 
gives tone to the meetings for worship, the mission- 
ary meetings are more than prayer-meetings. They 
are inquiry meetings ; and facts, and figures, and 
manners, and customs, and men, and measures, at 
home and abroad, are sought out and set in order, 



YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 153 

till bird's-eye views of the whole field are getting 
to be quite common in many local Societies, while 
the missionary reviews are brightening up at sight 
of these earnest young people and adjusting them- 
selves to their new constituency. 

The Epworth League, as might be expected, in- 
heriting the true spirit of that Epworth man who 
said : "The world is my parish/' has not been slow to 
meet the coming revival of missionary interest. It 
has contributed largely to it, through its recent 
use of the Students' Missionary Campaign, in in- 
troducing missionary literature into the local Chap- 
ters of the League. At the beginning of this pres- 
ent year (1899), "100 students had visited 1,000 
churches and Chapters of the Epworth League, 
spoken to 100,000 young people, pledged 15,000 of 
them to systematic support of the benevolences of 
the Church, organized 600 missionary committees, 
visited 300 classes for missionary study, and sold 
500 sets, 8,000 volumes of the missionary library." 
This educational missionary campaign has had its 
counterpart in other young people's organizations 
with phenomenal results. 

An excellent work from the inside is that of the 
Conquest Missionary Course of the Baptist Union, 
a personal inbreathing of the spirit of missions, 
seeking to deepen the interest of the local church 
(and pastor) in missions. The completeness of 
this study is shown by the following scheme : 



iS4 



YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 



CONQUEST MIS 



CHRISTIAN 
CULTURE COURSES 



A Progressive Study of Mis 
to the Pres 



First Year 



CONVICTIONS 



The New 

Testament 

Basis of 

Missions 



Church at 
Jerusalem 

a 
Working 
Model in 

Home 
Missions 



Antioch 
and the 
Inaugura- 
tion 
of 
Foreign 
Missions 



Post 

Apostolic 

Missions 

Africa, 



Post 

Apostolic 

Missions 

Europe 



Mediaeval 
Eclipse 

of 
Missions 



Second Year 



ORGANIZATIONS 



History 


Bible 


History 


The 


History 


The 


of the 


Transla- 


of the 




of the 




American 


tion 


American 


Physician 


American 


School 


Baptist 


Past and 


Baptist 




Baptist 




Mission- 


Present 


Publica- 


in 


Home 


in 


ary 


in 


tion 




Mission 




Union 


Missions 


Society 


Missions 


Society 


Missions 



Third Year 



FIELDS AND 



Africa 
the Dark 
Continent 
192,500,000 


Africans 

in 
America 
7,000,000 


India's 

Millions 

250,500,000 


Aborigines 

in 

America 

250,000 


China 

the 
Strong- 
hold 
of 
Paganism 
400,000,000 


Chinese 

in 

America 

125,000 



Fourth Year 



LEADERS AND 



In 


In 

New 

England 

and 


In 


In 

Mississippi 


In 


In 

Southern 


Japan 


Middle 
States 


China 


Valley 


India 


States 



YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 



155 



SIONARY COURSE 



gions from Apostolic Times 
ent Day 



Motto— WE STUDY 
THAT WE MAY SERVE 



AND BEGINNINGS 



Monthly Topics 



Fore- 


The 


Early 


A Decade 


The 


The 


runners of 
Modern 


Carey 


Evangel- 
ism in 


of 
Missionary 


Judson 


Triennial 
Conven- 
tion 
and Its 


Missions 


Movement 


America 


Beginnings 


Movement 


Work 



AND METHODS 



Monthly Topics 



History 
of 


Women's 


History 
of the 


Women's 


History 
of the 


Sunday 
School 

and 

Chapel 

Car 

Work 


the 


Work 


Conven- 


Work 


Conven- 


Southern 




tion 




tion 


Baptist 


in Foreign 


of the 


in Home 


of Ontario 


Con- 




Maritime 




and 


vention 


Missions 


Provinces 


Missions 


Quebec 



OPERATIONS 



Monthly Topics 



Romanists 


Romanists 


Japan 


Europeans 


Mexico 


The 


-<in 


in 


the Island 


in 


and 


Claims of 


Europe 


America 


Empire 


America 


Brazil 


City Evan- 


141,300,000 


7,000,000 


34,300,000 


7,000,000 


19,500,000 


gelization 



TRIUMPHS 



Monthly Topics 





In 










In 


Mountain 


In 


In 


In 


In 


Burma 


and Coast 
States 


Africa 


Canada 


Cuba 


Europe 



156 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 

For the year 1899- 1900 a modified and more di- 
rectly helpful plan will give a summary view of 
the mission work carried on by the Baptists of 
America and Canada, in Home and Foreign fields, 
including the work of the Women's Societies. 

From the Prospectus for the current year we 
quote the following: 

The following list of topics will be treated during the 
year 1899- 1900: 
1899. 

October — The New Testament Basis of Missions. 

November — Some Forerunners of Modern Missions. 

December — Carey and His Colleagues. 
1900. 

January — Baptist Beginnings in America. 

February — Our Missionary Societies (Foreign). 

March — The Story ofjudson and the Burman Mission. 

April — Our Missionary Societies (Home). 

May — Among the Freedmen. 

June — Daybreak in Assam. 

July — Mexico. 

August — Gleanings from Mission Fields. 

September — Our Missionary Societies (Publication). 

The organs of the other Orders contain very much 
valuable and inspiring information on missionary 
subjects, and frequently call attention to excellent 
material found elsewhere, besides publishing much 
in the way of leaflets and books. A dull missionary 
meeting is impossible for those who use these op- 
portunities of learning how the kingdom is coming. 

The missionary meeting is not all getting. Mis- 
sionary committees have done much to bring about 
systematic and proportional giving. The Tenth 
Legion, connected with the Y. P. S. C. E., as well 



YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 157 

as the Epworth Tithing Bands, illustrate the per- 
sonal, practical aspect of missionary service. 

(3) Another meeting for instruction is the tem- 
perance meeting. On the basis of what most of our 
young people are learning in the public schools as 
to the effects of alcohol upon the human system, 
the Young People's Societies are well on in the 
matter of building thereon a self-controlled man- 
hood and womanhood. Familiarity with the pledge 
in the prayer-meeting leads many to be willing to 
take the pledge in the temperance meeting. The 
movement is toward total abstinence for the indi- 
vidual. 

The material of the temperance meeting of the 
young people is no longer pathetic stories of inebri- 
ates and appeals to the feelings. But rather is it 
of such a kind as leads thinking young people 
to understand that the problem of intemperance is 
more than a personal one. It is a social, national, 
international problem, many-sided, far-reaching, 
and, therefore, wide and careful knowledge is a pre- 
requisite for wise action. The young people in their 
temperance meetings are especially in need of in- 
struction, and before they pass out into social and 
civil life they need to know not only the power of 
appetite, but the power of greed that has organized 
so formidable an opposition to those who seek to 
control the output of liquors sold for beverage pur- 
poses. Careful knowledge should be had also of the 
various means that have been and are now em- 
ployed to abate the evils of intemperance. Local 
option, license high and low, the Gothenberg sys- 



ISS YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 

tern, the South Carolina experiment, the later North 
Carolina plan, the Minneapolis segregation scheme, 
the Anti-Saloon League of Ohio, the Prohibition 
Union of Rochester, not to mention the Prohibi- 
tion party — all these methods are in use. What 
about them? Which, if any, of them shows the way 
out? A study of the situation from a Christian 
standpoint is the high privilege of the young peo- 
ple's temperance meeting, and great variety and 
interest can be had by such a determined effort to 
find out the actual facts, and make them tell the 
truth. 

(4) General Culture. The ideas suggested by the 
Good Literature and Instruction Committees of the 
Endeavor Society and Baptist Union have been de- 
veloped more or less carefully and attractively in 
departments in the Epworth Leagues and the Bap- 
tist Unions, and in these and other organizations 
more fully as Reading and Christian Culture 
Courses. Besides information concerning the Bible 
and missionary and temperance themes, effort is 
made to secure systematic reading and study of 
general and denominational doctrines and church 
history, of heroes and events in church and state, 
of scientific and philanthropic matters, and of gen- 
eral literature. Intelligent acquaintance with the 
history of the Church, and of the different denomi- 
nations, as to doctrine, polity, genius, heroes, found- 
ers, makers, is believed to be excellent preparation 
for service. Not less important for young Ameri- 
cans is some reliable and workable knowledge of 
the State. 



YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 159 

Our country is worth studying for its history, its 
statesmen, its prophets, its social and industrial life. 
The claims of general literature are everywhere 
allowed and pressed upon the attention of the young 
people. It is felt that the inspiration of the "Holy 
Spirit of Education" will be an- excellent guide in 
the paths of Christianity so soon to be trod by the 
millions who are now under training in Young 
People's Societies. 

It is not to be supposed that all the young people 
avail themselves of these opportunities of learning 
important things under wise leadership, but it is 
much that such courses are offered them, and mem- 
bership in them increases year by year. They who 
make the best use of such helps have what has been 
called "the initiative" in active life. "The Epworth 
Reading Course, conducted now for seven years, 
has been an appreciable factor in thus equipping 
the American people. It has put great books into 
the hands of thousands. Great poems produced in 
this course set the heroic in young men in vibra- 
tion ; books for young people like 'Pushing to the 
Front/ filled with visions of a great career those 
who thought they had no chance; while the lives 
of Lincoln and Washington, read, loaned and bor- 
rowed from the Epworth League Reading Course, 
have disseminated ideas of the greatness of our 
country and its providential mission, and thus thou- 
sands were made ready to line up in the spirit of 
'We will do again what our fathers have done/ " — 
Epzvorth League Handbook for i8qq. 

The Baptist Christian Culture Courses were or- 



160 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 

ganized to prepare young people for active service 
in the Church and world. Its promoters say : 
"Earnestness is essential, but without an intelligent 
directing force it is futile. Hence our watchword is 
educate/' The scope and method of the courses is 
determined by this motto, "Culture for service/' It 
was. worked out through many obstacles. "In some 
quarters it was thought to savor too much of cul- 
ture and too little of Christian service or devotion. 
In others, it was believed to present quite too severe 
a program for the boys and girls for whom it was 
designed. . . . Modifications have been made 
and will probably be made from time to time. Ad- 
vanced studies by means of manuals have been 
projected for further indoctrination in Baptist prin- 
ciples. There still remains to be devised some course 
for Christian workers who would use their Bibles 
in winning men to Christ/' 

The above extract from the "Review of Seven 
Years," given at the Buffalo Convention of the 
B. Y. P. U. A., in 1898, shows the spirit behind 
these Culture Courses. 

Beginning with October, 1900, an Advanced 
Christian Culture Course will be offeree}. A glance 
at its contents shows its great excellence : 

The Advanced Bible Readers' Course will be a four- 
years' study of the sixty-six books of the Bible, empha- 
sizing the historical background, the contemporaneous 
history, the literary character, the doctrinal and practical 
teachings of each book, and its relation to the whole 
scheme of Biblical revelation. 

The Advanced Conquest Missionary Course will be 



YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. l6l 

a four-years' study of missions from the time of Christ 
to the present day, as carried on by every evangelical body 
of Christians in all parts of the earth. 

The Advanced Sacred Literature Course will be a 
four-years' study of (i.) A history of the Canon of the 
Bible, its principles, methods of interpretation, and pres- 
ent day questions in its investigation; (2) The origin, 
growth and character of the Kingdom of God; (3) Chris- 
tian evidences, with biographical studies of the apostles; 
(4) Christian doctrine, with biographical studies of some 
of the leaders in the history of the Church. 

A volume introductory to this course, by Prof. 
I. M. Price, is entitled "The Old Testament and the 
Monuments." (Chicago, $1.25.) 

As an illustration of the variety and kinds of 
literature offered for the instruction of the young 
people, take the prescribed course of reading for 
the last five years of the Epworth League, which is 
as follows : 

Prescribed Course of Reading for 1895-6. 

"Pushing to the Front." By Orison Swett Marden. 

"Sketches of Mexico." By John W. Butler, D.D. 

"The Prayer That Teaches to Pray." By Marcus Dods, 
D.D. 

"My Brother and I." Selected Papers on Social Topics. 
By W. I. Haven. 

1896-7. 

"The Vision of Christ in the Poets." By Charles M. 
Stuart. 

"The Social Law of Service." By R. T. Ely. 

"Torch-bearers of Christendom." By Robert R. Doherty. 

"In League With Israel." By Annie Fellows Johnston. 

1897-8. 
"The Picket Line of Missions." Sketches of the Ad- 
vanced Guard. By W. F. McDowell, J. T. Gracey, A. T. 



162 * YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 

Pierson, S. L. Baldwin, Jennie M. Bingham, W. F. Old- 
ham, Mary 'Ninde, W. H. Withrow. Introduction by 
Bishop W. X, Ninde. 

"Life of George Washington." The Ideal Patriot. By 
Edward M. Taylor, D.D. Introduction by Edward Everett 
Hale, D.D. 

"The Ministry of Art." By F. M. Bristol, D.D. 

"Life on High Levels." Familiar Talks on the Con- 
duct of Life. By Margaret E. Sangster." 

1898-9. 

"The Founding of a New World." The First Three 
Hundred Years of Christianity. By Geo. H. Dryer. Pre- 
pared especially for the Epworth League. (For the De- 
partment of Spiritual Work.) 

"The Star in the West." By Polemus H. Swift. (For 
the Mercy and Help Department.) 

"Every-day Science." Scientific methods of observa- 
tion and reasoning, from Huxley, Tyndall, Buckley, Le 
Conte, Geikie and Jordan. New articles by Atwell, 
Charles, Chapman and Roentgen. Compiled by A. E. 
Chapman. (For the Literary Department.) 

"The Makers of Methodism." By W. H. Withrow. 
(For the Social Department.) 

1899- 1900. 
"God Revealed." 

"Lord Shaftesbury's Biography." 
"The Great World's Form." 
"Grandmont." 

The members of the Young People's Christian 
Union of the United Brethren have already read 
and studied, among other books, Stalker's "Life of 
Christ" and "Life of Paul," Strong's "Our Country" 
and "The New Era," Carlos Martyn's "Christian Citi- 
zenship," Thompson's "Life of Abraham Lincoln," 
and Davis' "Life of Neesima," Murray's "With 



YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 163 

Christ in the School of Prayer/' Thayer's "Success 
and Its Achievers," and Scott's "Lady of the Lake." 

The Baptist Unions, in their Sacred Literature 
Course, are reading and studying and talking over 
with one another some excellent material lhat ought 
to make wise unto salvation. 

As an illustration of one method of conducting 
the Baptist C. C. C, the following is quoted from 
a letter received by the writer from his friend and 
fellow worker, Rev. H. E. Wise, of the First Bap- 
tist Church, Norwich, Conn., who has had much 
experience and given his brethren much help in 
these lines : 

These courses were begun in the month of October, 
1897. They embrace the Bible Readers' Course; the Con- 
quest Missionary Course, for the knowledge of Baptist 
missions; the Sacred Literature Course, which aims at 
securing intelligent conviction as to the teachings of the 
Bible and their demands upon life. The first of these is 
pursued privately, the second forms the subject of the 
Young People's meeting once a month, while the third 
is followed in a class which meets alternate Tuesday even- 
ings from October to April, inclusive. 

The plan followed in 1898-9 was that of securing a 
printed syllabus of the subject matter furnished in the 
Baptist Union, and affixing the same to one side of the 
page of a note-book, leaving the opposite side free for 
the writing out of texts quoted, as well as for the record- 
ing of notes. 

The method pursued during the first year was that of 
placing an outline of the lesson upon the blackboard, and 
filling it out with answers received from the class. The 
pastor being leader, he sought never to impart, if by ques- 
tioning he could extract. 

If in the outline there was any way of aiding the memory 



164 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 

by means of mnemonics, that device was seized. For ex- 
ample, in the introductory part, there were mentioned 
Six Hindrances to the spread of the Gospel. The initial 
letters of these made C. C. WARS. (C — onservatism, 
C — upidity, W — ordliness, A — ppetite, R — ationalism, S — 
uperstition.) 

In Paul's first missionary tour, also, the initial letter of 
the places visited, in their order, made two simple words, 
ASP— PAIL, with D attached. (A— ntioch, S— alamis, 
P — aphos, P — erga, A — ntioch, I — conium, L — ystra, D — 
erbe.) Once this was seen and reviewed a few times, the 
impression was permanent. 

It was found necessary to iterate and reiterate. Hence, 
when five lessons were completed, the outline was placed 
on a single sheet — which could be scanned at a glance — 
with here and there an interrogation mark. This kept the 
previous work in view. Usually a brief review preceded 
each lesson. 

Help as to order and contents of N. T. books was given: 
ARC, representing the initial letters of Acts, Romans and 
Corinthians; A-E-I-O, being the characteristic vowel of 
Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians. Some 
of the -important chapters of the N. T. were learned as 
to contents, especially the 15's of the Gospels, Acts, 
Romans and Corinthians. Not a few of the important 
texts of the chapters studied were committed to memory. 
We also furnished ourselves with a workable knowledge 
of the leading epistles. Galatians, being but six chapters 
in length, was easily remembered by a simple outline: 
Facts (1-2), Faith (3), Freedom (4), Fruit (5-6). Then 
followed that of Romans, which, while much more elabo- 
rate in treatment, was similar in purpose. After the logi- 
cal development had been carefully noted, an outline of 
R's was given: Ruin (1-2), Redemption (3-4), Results 
(5-8), Rejection and Restoration of the Jews (9-1 1), 
Recompense, by consecration and conduct (12-15). Cor- 
inthians and James were treated in like manner. 

Anything in the way of success achieved, will be due to 



YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 165 

enthusiasm, perseverance and hopefulness. The idea was 
inculcated that we seek to make the material ours for 
efficiency in service, and thus actualize our motto — "We 
study that we may serve." 

The Luther League has prepared four reading 
courses for its young people. The books suggested 
belong not only to General Culture, but to Ecclesi- 
astical and Missionary Subjects, as well as to the 
region of private devotion. Lives of Luther and 
Melanchthon, and Spener, and Francke, and Gus- 
tavus Adolphus are read side by side with "The 
Conversion of India/' "Lutheran Foreign Mis- 
sions," "The Deaconess's Calling/' "Sacred Medi- 
tations/' "Elements of Religion," "Lutherans in 
America" and the "Shoenberg Cotta Family." It 
has also contributed to the service of song a Luther 
League Hymnal, specially adapted for use in its 
Young People's meetings, containing Opening and 
Closing Services, Psalms and Collects, and thus it 
contributes its significant and appropriate feature 
to General Culture. 

(5) Of the many other subjects that are worth 
studying in the meetings of the Young People's 
Societies, I name but one, Christian Citizenship — a 
very inclusive subject, dealing as it does with the 
way young people should behave when they get 
out of meeting. 

The Societies of Christian Endeavor have made 
much of this, and so have the Universalist Young 
People, who have a special department and Secre- 
tary for Christian Citizenship. 

In many Societies a special committee has in 



i66 young people's societies. 

charge the matter of promoting it, Some sugges- 
tive papers were printed in the columns of "The 
Golden Rule/' some years ago, written by Professor 
Graham Taylor, and intended for class study. Dr. 
Josiah Strong's League for Social Service prints 
many leaflets bearing upon civil duties the study 
of which should precede any attempt at action, 
and so it is put here, although it belongs also to the 
second concern, of a Young People's Society, viz.. 
its Activities. 

Before we separate to do anything, we would bet- 
ter find out in the meeting what, if anything, is best 
to be done. Meetings for instruction are by no 
means obstructions — as if the young people should 
grudge the time spent in learning, and pant for 
action, which, because unprepared or even unpre- 
meditated, needs soon to be undone. And here, it 
should be said, is where the Societies are very liable 
to make mistakes, and act without due deliberation 
or due regard to the confronting facts. 

Sometimes, it is to be feared, local Societies, local 
Unions, or even State or National Unions, are 
tempted by the example or incitement of others 
to act as organizations, instead of as individuals, or 
loyally to follow some call without considering 
whether they are called to do so or not. If ever 
the charge of priggishness could be justly laid at 
the young people's door, here is probably where it 
would come in. By rushing into the arena, as an 
organization, in behalf of any reform because others 
have done it, or in advocacy or disapproval of some 
pending legislation, because asked to, the Young 



YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 167 

People's Society may unwittingly lay itself open 
to the charge of too much self-assertion. So many 
causes nowadays, good and bad, are asking the 
support of young people, that for the sake of the 
future of the Societies, any contemplated or invited 
action relating to the world without, ought to be 
passed through the ordeal of the meeting, and 
thoroughly examined and prayed over, before it is 
taken out and stamped with the seal of a great re- 
ligious organization. 

The exceeding great value of the periodicals pub- 
lished in the interests of the various Orders must 
not be overlooked. They bring to their readers a 
weekly or monthly budget of inspiration and in- 
struction, gathering together within small compass 
a well-digested mass of material for all lines of work. 
These periodicals are the best text-books, and, apart 
from these, the Societies can do little or nothing. 
They are a mighty force, all too little used. The 
best preparation for work is drawn from these ably 
edited columns. The best program for work is here 
laid out. The best pushing of work is done by 
those who have fed on these healing leaves. 



CHAPTER XX. 



THE WORKING OF A YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETY. 

II. Its Activities. 
Such careful working of a Young People's 
Society in meetings for worship and instruction will 
give weight to that other kind of working we have 



168 young people's societies* 

in mind, that denoted by Activities. It is not essen- 
tial that this working should be corporate, but it 
should correspond to the corporate belief and spirit 
of the members of the Society. The Society need 
not act as a unit. Frequently it cannot, but the 
various works done by the young people who be- 
long to the Societies should reflect the teaching 
and temper of the body. , The activities are partly 
indicated by the names of committees and depart- 
ments. 

The transition from meetings to activities is made 
through the Social Committees and Departments 
of Social Work. The Young People's Socials oc- 
cupy a strategic point. These free and informal 
meetings are not so much for the purpose of having 
a good time, as for giving a good time. 

"Social to serve," "Social to save" are the watch- 
words. 

They are the first steps taken by earnest Chris- 
tian young people in going into society. They are 
not selfish gatherings. The altruistic spirit is culti- 
vated. This is the theory and this the teaching of 
those who suggest and direct in this social function 
of the young people, and young people's socials 
are beginning to profit by the teaching. The social, 
while not a dress affair, may, and does, become a 
kind of dress rehearsal, a preparation for larger and 
wider social relations in the outside world. There 
politeness, unselfishness, consideration for others, 
efforts to bring out the best in others as belonging 
to society, as well as to the Society — all these find 
early and hopeful exercise. There, too, the prob- 



YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 169 

lem of entertainment, what to do with our leisure 
time, presents itself for such solution as shall, while 
ministering to the needs of the individual, leave him 
free and disposed to serve society with all his 
powers. 

Some excellent remarks on what a young people's 
social should be are found among the Baltimore 
Convention Papers of the B. Y. P. U. A., and are 
here given place for their suggestiveness. 

If the music is good, and the atmosphere of the occasion 
is inspiring, enthusiasm will prevail, and all will be ready 
for the social hour, during which there should, be no stiff- 
ness, no cold formality, no gossip. The utmost freedom 
should prevail, strangers should be introduced, and in- 
stead of talking about the persons who have read papers, 
or taken part in the debate, the things said in the papers 
and debate should be discussed. This will not only widen 
the range of thought and vision, and help all to become 
wiser and better, but will cultivate the power of expres- 
sion and easy conversation; a power of great value and 
all too rare with the majority of people, especially among 
the young. 

Many years ago, Margaret Fuller conducted conver- 
sation classes for the purpose of helping others to express 
their thoughts readily upon a subject. Our socials may be 
so conducted as to secure many of the benefits of such 
classes by hearty, animated conversation upon interesting 
topics. 

A lady from the country, while spending a few days with 
a friend in town, attended a reception given by a certain 
society. She remarked afterward that she was surprised 
and delighted to find that they talk about things instead 
of persons, about what is going on in the world, dis- 
cussing the desirability of underground telegraph and 
telephone wires, the schools, new books, and kindred 



170 YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 

topics. This power should be cultivated by churches and 
Young People's Societies everywhere until the old regime 
is a thing of the past, and a purer, grander social life takes 
its place. 

Out from such a social atmosphere the Young 
People's Societies enter upon their work of applying 
the knowledge gained in the meetings to the 
larger and wider and more influential activities of a 
life in the open. 

If now we ask, what are the young people of our 
Societies doing? a much shorter answer can be 
given by setting down what they are not doing. 
Whole pages could be taken in the enumeration 
of what missionary and temperance and philan- 
thropic and good citizenship work has already done, 
besides the work of spreading the principles and 
methods of their respective Societies at home and 
abroad. 

In almost every field where Christian work is 
called for, representatives of Young People's So- 
cieties are to be found, and well to the front. 
Christian Endeavor has gone to sea in its floating 
Societies, into navy yards, into barracks and regi- 
ments of the army, into State prisons, into the ranks 
of the police and commercial travelers. It has 
worked among the life-savers, among the foreign- 
speaking peoples in our land, among the peoples 
of every land on earth, among the deaf and dumb, 
among the ranks of school and college young men 
and women. Endeavorers have found something 
to do everywhere. They have been active in all 
good causes. Their influence has been felt in the 



YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 171 

homes of the unfortunate and degraded, in the halls 
of legislation, in the civil and political life of towns 
and cities. 

It used to be thought that because Christian En- 
deavor emphasized the prayer-meeting, it was all 
prayer-meeting. Endeavorers do not, "meet to part 
no more," but to separate, filled with a new pur- 
pose and new knowledge for serving their Church 
in whatever respects it may serve the Kingdom. 

The following, taken from a calendar of sugges- 
tions for Christian Endeavor work, compiled from 
the Societies, both Young People's and Junior, of 
the State of New Jersey, will indicate the breadth 
and intensity of the work: 

I. Home Church Work. 

Deepening the spiritual life of members. 

Improvement in pledge-keeping. 

Raising consecration meetings to the ideal. 

Special efforts at soul-winning (29 Societies). 

Young converts' prayer-meeting. 

Catechism study. 

Prayer-meetings at homes of aged, sick and shut-ins. 

Taking charge of Sunday evening service. 

Parish visiting. 

Cottage prayer-meetings. 

Placing denominational papers in every family. 

Working with the Juniors. 

Organizing a Boys' Brigade. 

Supporting a free circulating library. 

II. Local Work. 
Weekly open-air meetings. 
Fresh-air campaign. 
Picnic for newsboys. 



172 YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 

Supporting local missions. 

Supporting trained nurse for sick poor. 

Paid year's rent for poor woman. 

Work among life-savers. 

Hospital work. 

Evangelistic meetings at trolley terminus. 

Work in tenement districts. 

Work in Young Women's Settlement, New York City. 

Securing remonstrance against saloons. 

Closing barber shops on Sunday. 

III. Missionary Work. 
Increasing voluntary giving. 
Sustaining a missionary library. 
Work for the India famine sufferers. 
Sending carload of corn to India. 
Sending a member to the foreign field. 
Organ to new chapel in Japan. 

Paying college tuition of three young men in Mexico, 
preparing for the mission field. 

Undertaking the education of children in India. 

Something like this is true of all the other or- 
ganizations of young people elsewhere. The de- 
votional departments are dynamos, generating 
power. The other departments and committees di- 
rect the power along desired lines. The individuals, 
or groups of young people, apply it where it is 
needed. Evangelistic work is not neglected, but the 
young are seeing, as their elders see, that religious 
work, to be stable and effective, must do more 
than bring men to accept Jesus Christ as Saviour. 
There must be training in the principles of Chris- 
tianity, and, above all, and now most imperative, the 
application of Christianity to the life of the world. 
If much of the young people's activity is far re- 



YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 1 73 

moved from the prayer-meeting, let it not be sup- 
posed that it forgets or forsakes the secret of its 
power. When the sick and aged and strangers are 
visited and cared for ; when temperance and social 
purity are promoted; when the work of visiting 
hospitals, nursing, distributing flowers, starting in- 
dustrial schools, running employment bureaus, 
coffee-houses, day-nurseries ; of opening libraries, 
reading-rooms, art-rooms, night-schools, and the 
like ; of furnishing Christian boarding-houses for 
young men — when these things are done, it is not 
because other more important things are left un- 
done. 

The mottoes that have been, or now are, the 
watchwords of the young people's organizations 
are in themselves rousing calls to activity. The 
loosely organized Societies wear as their breast- 
plate : 

Look up and not down, 
Look forward and not back, 
Look out and not in, 
Lend a hand, 



Or, 



In His Name. 



The more compactly organized inscribe upon 
their banners : 

For Christ and the Church. 

Not to be ministered unto, but to minister. 

Look up. Lift up. 

All for Christ. 

For the Glory of God and the Salvation of Men. 

Of the Church, by the Church, for the Church. 



174 YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 

Inasmuch as Christian citizenship and social ser- 
vice are very much at the front in our words of 
late years, it may be interesting to note how much 
they have been in our deeds. 

A paper by Secretary Baer, of the Y. P. S. C. E., 
on "Christian Citizenship/' referring to the sugges- 
tions along that line made by President Clark at 
the Montreal Convention, in 1893, gathers up some 
of the work done by Endeavorers for their country 
during the following year. Among which he notes : 
A petition to the Legislature of Wisconsin for a 
Pure Politics Act; the carrying of No License in 
Madison and Janesville, through the influence of 
the young women ; the supporting of a clean reform 
ticket in Spokane, and the Sunday-closing of 
saloons in Walla Walla; vigorous stand taken in 
California against open saloons; an anti-tobacco 
bill originated by a C. E. Society in Iowa, and its 
passage into a law; C. E. contributions to an en- 
thusiasm in Kansas which elected a Legislature 
that drove out lotteries, closed gambling places, 
made gambling a felony and strengthened the pro- 
hibitory liquor laws. In Illinois, C. E. workers 
helped carry many towns for No License, and de- 
feated the Humphrey Bill, framed in the interest 
of the race-track gamblers. In Missouri the battle 
has been for a better observance of the Sabbath, 
and Endeavorers have had a good share in it. 

The work in the cities has many features in com- 
mon. "In some cities like Philadelphia, Cleveland, 
St. Louis, Brooklyn, New York, Cincinnati, mass- 
meetings have been held and much done along edu- 



. YOUNG PEOPLE S' SOCIETIES. 175 

cational lines that must bear fruit in the coming- 
year." Special attention is called to the work done 
by the Syracuse C. E. Union, including resolutions 
denouncing penny-in-the-slot machines, gambling, 
etc., anti-lottery (Honduras) petition circulated and 
forwarded to Congress, local Union Good Citizen- 
ship Committees formed '; successful efforts to secure 
the Mayor's veto of an ordinance passed by the Com- 
mon Council at the request of sixty-eight saloon- 
keepers, forbidding temperance night lunch wagons. 
"During Fourth of July week, all Y. P. S. C. E. 
churches were asked to hold good citizenship 
prayer-meetings. Nearly all the pastors on the fol- 
lowing Sunday preached good citizenship sermons, 
which were printed in all the papers, and five thou- 
sand copies of a good citizenship circular were dis- 
tributed in the city." 

The Newark (N. J.) Christian Endeavor and other 
Societies set forth a declaration of principles, some 
of which are : 

"The Union shall strive to remove from the city 
all temptations to vice not lawfully permitted ; shall 
attempt to check the purchasing of votes, and other 
abuses connected with the ballot-box; shall urge 
Christian people to attend the primaries of their 
parties and insist upon the nomination for office of 
men who are in sympathy with the object of this 
organization; shall submit to the proper authori- 
ties evidence to convict officials who are recreant 
to the trusts confided to them by the people. The 
Union declines to endorse any political party or 
support any independent nomination for office. It 



176 YOUNG PEOPLE^ SOCIETIES. 

hopes to accomplish these results by no hasty or 
spasmodic effort at reform, but by arduous, cautious 
and relentless effort, and requests the aid of good 
citizens in the furtherance of its principles. Secre- 
tary Baer quotes Rev. Dr. Charles H. Park- 
hurst as saying in Boston; "I was very 
much interested in what a prominent poli- 
tician of my own city said the other day 
about the Christian Endeavor movement. He said : 
'It is becoming an influence that will yet work a 
complete revolution in the State of New York.' 
'But it is not a political institution at all,' said bis 
friend. To this the politician replied : 'The Society 
will have all the greater influence on that account.' ' 
And then Secretary Baer adds : "That politician was 
right. These millions of young people are not 
going to band themselves into any political or- 
ganization or party or movement, but they are as 
individuals going to stand for a more intelligent 
spirit of patriotism and Christian citizenship every- 
where." 

Perhaps enough has been said to indicate the 
directions in w T hich the activities of a Young Peo- 
ple's Society move. To describe them fully is be- 
yond the space at our command. They constitute 
the more open, visible part of the working of a 
Young People's Society. 

A word or two about an agency that ought not 
to be overlooked, though mostly out of sight. I 
refer to Business Meetings. These have always 
been regarded as means to an end. They secure 
their ends by a modicum of parliamentary prac- 



YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 177 

tice and debate. Most matters that need discussing 
are handled first by the Executive Committee or 
its equivalent. Plans for work largely originate 
there, and when digested are reported on to the 
Societies. There is little or no occasion to display 
one's knowledge of Cushing or Roberts. It is 
enough if the business meeting have a prepared 
docket, a defined order and a leader who knows 
how to put motions and prevent entanglements. 
Each committee or department does its own work 
in its own way. The business meeting is a sort of 
clearing-house for hearing and acting upon the re- 
ports of work done by the officers and various 
committees, and it is not so secular in tone and 
contents that it may not be held in connection with 
any prayer-meeting, even though that be held on a 
Sunday. Indeed, the business meeting may be said 
to furnish excellent material for a devotional 
meeting. 

"It will not seem wise to insist upon too frequent 
meetings for purely business purposes, except so 
far as they can be energized by the spirit of devo- 
tion and loyalty, and be made a means of advancing 
the actual fellowship and spiritual growth of the 
body. In a word, it may be said that regular busi- 
ness meetings should be planned to occur no oftener 
than practicable, and special ones only when im- 
perative. The principal business of a Society is 
not invention, but application. Operation is more 
effective than suggestion." (Baltimore Convention 
Papers.) 

The extreme flexibility of the working of a Young 



173 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 

People's Society is thus apparent. Its meetings 
are largely without prescribed order of exercises, 
and its activities are as the spirit prompts. No one 
can tell in advance what a Young People's Society 
will do when it meets for worship, nor how it will 
act when it separates for work. 

There is some ritual in some of the organizations. 
The Epworth Leagues have an order of exercises 
for the reception of members and the installation 
of officers in their own and in Junior Chapters, and 
for the graduation of the Juniors, as well as for the 
meetings of the Junior Leagues. The Brotherhood 
of St. Andrew has a Form of Admission, Special 
Prayers and a Suggested Litany for use at Chapter 
meetings. In some small societies there is a tend- 
ency toward the pompous and affectedly archaic, as 
in^he Order of the Knights of King Arthur. But, 
generally speaking, there is a freedom and ease of 
movement in both the management and the mani- 
festation of the various Orders that lessens friction 
and invites fellowship. 

Specimens of some of these Rituals may be found 
in the Appendix. 



CHAPTER XXL 

JUNIOR SOCIETIES. 



The Young People's movement on a large scale 
dates from 1881, with the first Society of Christian 
Endeavor, The first book on Christian Endeavor 



YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 179 

appeared the next year, entitled "The Children and 
the Church/' Within a short time the children were 
organized into Junior Societies, and the original 
Society and its fellows became Young People's So- 
cieties. 

Work for the Juniors is now well organized and 
systematically carried on in all the great branches 
of the denominational and interdenominational 
work. It follows so closely in spirit and practice 
the young people's work in the various organiza- 
tions that detailed account is unnecessary. 

There are Boys' Departments of the various 
Brotherhoods. There are Junior Christian En- 
deavor Societies, Junior Epworth Leagues, Junior 
Baptist Young People's Unions, Junior Young 
People's Christian Unions, etc. 

Much attention is rightly being given to the 
work for the younger people, for Christian nurture 
should begin early, as Horace Bushnell long ago 
pointed out. More or less successful attempts have 
been made to clearly separate between the work of 
the Junior Society and the Primary Department of 
the Sunday-school. Until it is seen and felt that 
Junior work is not merely Sunday-school work, 
that it attempts to do what the Sunday-school does 
not and cannot do, that training, not teaching, is 
the thing to be aimed at, the work of Junior So- 
cieties will fall short of the reasonable expectations 
of those who believe in it. It is believed that the 
children can be trained in habits and practices of 
prayer and testimony, in knowledge of doctrine and 
Church history and of good things to be done, as 



180 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 

well as in methods of doing good, and where the 
Junior Prayer-meeting is faithfully and believingly 
used to bring out the expression of the religious life 
and to produce impressions of the value of religious 
knowledge, the Juniors become, upon graduation, 
useful and immediately helpful members of Young 
People's Societies. Where Junior work is for en- 
tertainment, for mere instruction, for telling things, 
for simply learning without practising, it always 
proves unsatisfactory. When it is, in purpose and 
practice, correlated with the young people's work 
towards which it looks and leads, it responds to its 
underlying thought, and its members give glad and 
ready answer when called to "come up higher." 

The Junior pledge taken in most Societies is a 
modification of the Young People's pledge. The 
Endeavor Juniors use this pledge : 

Trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ for strength, I promise 
Him that I will strive to do whatever He would like to 
have me do; that I will pray and read the Bible every- 
day; and that, just so far as I know how, I will try to 
lead a Christian life. I will be present at every meeting 
of the Society when I can and will take some part in 
every meeting. 

The Epworth Juniors promise, with the help of 
God, 

To try always to do right. 

To pray every day. 

To read every day in the Word of God. 

To abstain from profane language. 

From the use of tobacco and from all intoxicating liquor. 

To attend the morning church service and the regular 
meeting of the Junior Epworth League. 



YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. l8l 

A similar pledge is optional with Baptist Juniors. 

The avowed objects of Junior work, as declared 
in the several constitutions, are the early conversion 
of the boys and girls ; their entrance into the 
Church ; instruction in the privileges and duties of 
church membership ; the promotion of an earnest 
and intelligent spiritual life; enlistment in practical 
Christian service; encouragement in the study of 
the Bible and other good literature, in systematic 
beneficence, and their training for and graduation 
into the Young People's Society./ 

The Juniors have their own prayer-meeting topice: 
and daily Bible readings, their own courses of study 
in Bible, Catechism, Doctrine, Church History, 
Biography and Missions, and their own papers, in 
most of the Orders. 

It is not a passion for organization that has 
brought into the ranks of Endeavor Societies the 
Intermediate Society, between the Juniors and the 
Young People ; the Senior Society, above the Young 
People, and even the Mothers' and Parents' Society 
brooding them all. It is rather a desire to adapt 
tried methods of Christian inspiration and service 
to all classes and ages in the Church, and to get 
and hold all Christians within the influence of a 
successful Christianizing agency. 



CHAPTER XXII. 

YOUNGER PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 

The preceding pages have shown that neither age 
nor sex is spared in the great organizing move- 



182 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 

ments of the century. The earlier organization: 
took in and still take in all of whatever age who 
desire associative stimulus in doing good. There 
are many who are not young in years who serve in 
Lend-a-Hand Clubs and in the Order of the King's 
Daughters and Sons. The Young People's So- 
cieties in many places contain the elders and breth- 
ren, the fathers and mothers. In certain local 
churches the Young People's Society is such only 
in name. We have seen a growing tendency in the 
young people's movement to reach up and hold the 
graduates by means of Senior Societies of Christian 
Endeavor, and Advanced Study and Reading 
Courses, as well as to reach down and save for ser- 
vice the boys and girls. They follow in this the 
reach of the Sunday-school, the Missionary So- 
cieties and the Young Men's Christian Associ- 
ations. 

The Sunday-school has always had its primary 
class. It began, as we know, with the street boys. 
The missionary organizations have their Young 
Ladies' Auxiliaries, their Boys and Girls' Home 
Missionary Army, their Mission Circles, even their 
Cradle Rolls. 

The Boys' Branch of the Young Men's Christian 
Association is receiving now much attention. The 
Woman's Christian Temperance Union has its Y's 
and its Loyal Temperance Legion. The White 
Cross Society has its Knights of the Silver Cross. 
Temperance lodges have their juvenile departments ; 
social settlements, their boys' clubs. 

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty has 



YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 183 

its Bands of Mercy, and society in general has its 
George Junior Republic Associations, and its Good 
Will Farms, and its Boys' Clubs in almost every 
large city. The late Colonel Waring enrolled the 
boys and girls of New York City in Juvenile 
Leagues of the Department of Street Cleaning. 

From Switzerland we have its idea of its Boys 
and Girls' National History Association trans- 
planted, modified and named the Agassiz Associ- 
ation — for the boys and girls. 

From Scotland we have the Boys' Brigade. From 
the Rev. William Byron Forbush, Ph.D., Litt.D., 
of Charlestown, Mass., we have a movement called 
The Men of To-morrow, "a clearing-house for ideas 
on boys," and an Order of Christian Chivalry, a 
knightly fraternity, with loyalty and service its 
themes, and its name the Knights of King Arthur. 

And what shall I more say, for the time and space 
would fail me to tell of the Boys of U. S. A., a modi- 
fication of the Junior Republic ; the Captains of 
Ten, an industrial order, "an adaptation of the old- 
fashioned Girls' Mission Circle to boys' needs and 
tastes ;" The Coming Men of America, "a secret 
lodge for white boys of good character;" the Pa- 
triots of America, a similar society; the Minister- 
ing Children's League, the Princely Knights of 
Character Castle, and others that might be named, 
some of which, with those already mentioned, may 
be found in a little pamphlet of thirty-one pages 
issued by Rev. Dr. Forbush, entitled "A Manual of 
Boys' Clubs." 

All this indicates that the boys and girls are not 



184 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 

being neglected. Indeed, they are beginning to be 
appreciated and fitted for the places they so soon 
will fill. 

Rev. Dr. Forbush's idea of the Ideal Boys' Club 
is worth quoting, in part, just here. 

By a boys' club he means "an organization for 
boys for a worthy purpose under an adult leader," 
Its basis is real boys from fourteen to eighteen years 
of age. Its five essentials are : a leader, an abiding 
place, a form and plan, preparation and order. 

The relations of the club are four: 

1. To the home. "Condemn any club that does 
not somewhere touch the home. Never form a club 
among boys who spend their evenings quietly at 
home." 

2. To the school. "The club should supplement, 
not review, school work." 

3. To the church. "In the country I believe that 
boys' clubs should always be in churches, and in 
the city, too, except those of a rescue mission or 
social settlement character." 

4. To the public. "Remember that in the boys' 
clubs you touch the public of to-morrow." 

Reference has been made to the Boys' Brigade, 
which, as belonging more directly to the Sunday- 
school, does not fall to be treated in this volume, 
but which, as illustrating a widespread and benefi- 
cent organization, w T ith results issuing apart from 
Bible study, deserves more than a passing notice. 

This work, so dear to the heart of the late Henry 
Drummond, first took root in this country in the 
Westminster Presbyterian Church, San Francisco, 



YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 185 

California, in 1889, although the idea of forming 
Sunday-school boys into military companies under 
the direction of the Church was put into practice 
much earlier. The brigade consists of local com- 
panies of twelve to forty youths, from twelve to 
twenty-one years of age. The conditions of mem- 
bership are attendance at some Sunday-school and 
subscription to the following pledge : 

"I promise and pledge that I will not use tobacco 
nor intoxicating liquors in any form; that I will 
not use profane, vulgar nor indecent language ; that 
I will obey faithfully all the company rules, and that 
I will, at all times, set an example of good conduct 
to my comrades and other boys." 

The company is attached to some Christian or- 
ganization, generally the church. All meetings of 
the company are conducted under military regula- 
tions and discipline. The required meetings are : 
1. Some religious exercise, either a Bible drill, 
prayer-meeting or Sunday-school. 2. A weekly 
military drill, conducted strictly according to in- 
fantry tactics of the United States Army. There are 
physical and moral gains from the drills and disci- 
pline. Respect for religion is secured and promoted. 
The Sunday-school rises in the boy's estimation 
because he gladly belongs to it, and continuous 
associated Bible study, whether in Sunday-school 
or company-wise, witnesses, to the importance of 
an interest which the growing boy is prone to under- 
value. 

To the argument that the military form will tend 
to promote a warlike spirit and encourage the pas- 



1 86 young people's societies. 

sion for fighting, the promoters of the movement 
say, in the "Manual of the American Branch/' "It 
is consistently military, and for two reasons. First, 
for the purpose of system and thorough organiza- 
tion. Second, if boys are taught military tactics 
at all, it is worth while to teach them correctly and 
completely. But mark this and forever remember 
that the Boys' Brigade is above all for spiritual 
conquest ; its object is to* advance Christ's Kingdom 
among boys. It will not and must not be done with 
the sword. But just as the boy Jesus learned to ply 
the hammer and saw and chisel of His father's craft 
and thus was trained in reverence, obedience and 
self-respect, so may our boys, through military drill 
and Bible drill and patriotic study, learn habits of 
self-restraint ; learn that victories over self are those 
that shine in everlasting records ; learn that to fight 
for Jesus means to fight for the poor and the weak 
and disabled ; learn that the reveille for which they 
must prepare is that which will sound on the resur- 
rection morn, when, shoulder to shoulder, youth 
and old age shall march to their eternal reward." 

The first permanent organization was effected in 
1890 and called the Boys' Brigade Council in the 
U. S. A. In 1895, headquarters were transferred 
to Chicago. A new organization resulting from the 
federation of some others working along brigade 
lines, was formed and incorporated as The United 
Boys' Brigade of America. It branched out on 
wider military lines, such as departments, divisions, 
brigades and regiments. At the National Council 
held in Philadelphia in 1898 a revised Constitution 



YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 187 

was adopted, regular monthly meetings of the Board 
of Trustees were provided for under the general 
oversight of the Commander-in-Chief, Prof. O. C. 
Grauer, whose address is 203 Warren avenue, Chi- 
cago, and who is editor of the official organ, the 
"Boys' Brigade Monthly." It is estimated that 
more than 50,000 boys are connected with com- 
panies in different parts of the world. 

"The outlook at present for an earnest, wise, 
aggressive and united work is more bright than ever 
before in the history of the movement." 

A recent Council held in Boston in September 
of this year emphasized the spiritual features of the 
work, and general assent was given to the declara- 
tion that all officers of companies should be Chris- 
tian boys. 

Mention should be made also of the pre- 
ventive work of the Church Temperance Society 
of the United States of America, organized under 
the name of the Church. Temperance Legion, and 
comprising, besides Veteran Knights, the two Or- 
ders of Knights of Temperance, for boys and young 
men between sixteen and twenty-one years of age, 
and the Young Crusaders, for boys between eight 
and sixteen years of age. 

These Orders bear much resemblance in pur- 
pose and working to the Boys' Brigade, though 
worked out independently. There is a declaration 
or pledge covering soberness, purity and rever- 
ence, training in military drill, athletics, declama- 
tion, American history and citizenship, a suffi- 
ciently elaborate ritual and initiation, and all for 



1 88 young people's societies. 

the purpose of creating what Prof. Drummond de- 
sired to bring about through the Boys' Brigade, 
viz., "Manliness in Boys." 

The headquarters of these Orders are at the 
Church Missions House, 281 Fourth avenue, New 
York. B. F. Watson is General Commander, and 
Robert Graham Adjutant Commander and Secre- 
tary of the General Council, the governing body. 
The Council issues a Hand-book of the Church 
Temperance Legion, which gives all necessary in- 
formation. 



CHAPTER XXIII. 

CONVENTIONS. 

It could hardly be expected that the Young Peo- 
ple's Societies would escape the influence of the 
characteristic American habit of meeting with some- 
body. A large part of their growth and usefulness 
has depended upon the small and large meetings 
for inspiration and fellowship, which have been a 
marked feature of their work. From the first Local 
Union of Endeavorers, in New Haven, Conn., in 
1886, to the World's Christian Endeavor Union, 
formed at Boston in 1895, and the International 
Convention set for London in 1900, there has been 
an almost continuous and bewildering variety of 
convenings under different names, in different or- 
ganizations, of the forces of the Young People's 
Societies. 



YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 189 

The Local or District Union naturally came first; 
then the State, National, International and World's 
Unions. The Christian Endeavor movement, hav- 
ing the start, naturally set the pace and the spirit 
of Union work. Connecticut formed the first State 
C. E. Union in 1886. Other Local and State Unions 
followed apace, till the whole field of Christian En- 
deavor was covered, and almost every local society 
was in touch with some Local Union. 

The Local Union is composed of neighboring 
societies, meeting several times yearly in mass- 
meeting "for inspiration and fellowship." These 
words declare the purpose of the gathering. They 
are applicable to all such gatherings, State, Nation- 
al and International. These Union and Convention 
meetings of the Endeavor forces are not legislative 
bodies, not business meetings. They vote nothing. 
They resolve sparingly. They give opportunity for 
exchange of views on subjects common to the or- 
ganization, for confirming and strengthening the 
faith of the disciples, for fraternal meeting with fel- 
low members of the body, belonging, many of them, 
as in the C.E.Union, to different denominations, and 
for the expression of denominational fellowship. The 
programs are not stereotyped (may they never be- 
come so!). They adapt themselves to the particular 
situation. They aim at instruction, but as a means 
to inspiration. They are meetings for the young 
people, the laymen and lay women, and some of the 
most effective work done is done by those who 
are not entitled to enclose their names between 
■a Rev. and a D.D. They open the way for better 



19° YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 

acquaintance with the members of other societies, 
and, incidentally, as in the case of the International 
Conventions, broaden knowledge of our churches 
and of our country. 

A State Convention is an enlarged Local Union 
meeting. An International Convention is a mag- 
nified State meeting, slightly tending to overgrowth, 
but, as yet, fairly manageable. 

For some years Christian Endeavor had the field 
to itself convention-wise. Since the rise of the two 
other extensive organizations, the Epworth League 
and the Baptist Young People's Union of America, 
a triple line of great conventions has been traced, 
covering East and West and South and North, in- 
cluding Canada, while lesser organizations have left 
their mark, in various places, as distinct, if not so 
large. 

In the earlier days of the young people's move- 
ment, when conventions were somewhat new, there 
may have been more enthusiasm than exists to-day. 
It is probable that the new generation of young 
people just entering the work lacks that esprit de 
corps in the matter of attending meetings some- 
where else that gave a crusade-like aspect to the 
earlier volunteers. But the abating of fervor in 
travel does not mean a cooling of the spirit of fel- 
lowship and of work. The lessons learned from so 
many conventions, large and small, abide and in- 
fluence the present activities. 

The Endeavor hosts have, year by year, rallied 
to their National Conventions, clinging to New 
England for four years (1882- 1885). Then, hesi- 



YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 191 

tatingly crossing the Hudson for two campaigns 
at Saratoga (1886-1887), they dared and invaded 
Chicago the next year, and were seen of America. 
They gained new friends, and began to be inter- 
national because of Canadian allies. 

Then followed a decade of great international 
conventions, attended by numbers ranging from 
6,000 to 56,000, held in successive years in Phila- 
delphia, St. Louis, Minneapolis, New York, Mon- 
treal, Cleveland, Boston, Washington, San Fran- 
cisco, Nashville and Detroit. The New York Conven- 
tion, with the then unexampled attendance of more 
than 35,000; awakened great enthusiasm, and attract- 
ed much astonished newspaper attention, and men 
began to inquire whereunto this would grow, and 
whether another convention of like size could be 
brought together under one management in any 
one place. But as (some think) God would have it, 
about this time the great interdenominational 
Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor was 
confronted, or, to speak more truly, supported on 
either wing by two vigorous armies of denomina- 
tional name, whose rapid mobilization and ready 
movements were among the phenomenal things of 
those days. 

The Epworth League, organized at Cleveland in 
1889, began its series of biennial international con- 
ventions at Cleveland in 1893. The Baptist Young 
People's Union of America, organized in conven- 
tion at Chicago in 1891, entered at once upon its 
denominational international conventions, and fol- 
lowed Chicago in yearly meetings at Detroit, In- 



I9 2 YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 

dianapolis, Toronto, Baltimore, Milwaukee, Chatta- 
nooga, Buffalo and Richmond. It includes the 
Southern and Canadian Unions. 

The Epworth League has visited in biennial con- 
ventions Cleveland, Chattanooga, Toronto and In- 
dianapolis. Its northern and southern branches in 
Canada, and the M. E. Church, South, have been 
represented in these gatherings. 

Meanwhile, the Christian Endeavor Society, only 
slightly weakened by this readjustment of existing 
societies and this almost miraculous springing up 
of new ones, found it necessary, in 1893, at Mon- 
treal, to enlarge the place of her tent, amd in subse- 
quent yearly conventions has used one or more 
tents in addition to the armories and halls and 
churches which the convention cities supplied. The 
tent life was adopted by the Epworth League at its 
Chattanooga Convention to meet the needs of its 
crowded gathering. 

Conventions have not been confined to America. 
In all lands where the young people's movement 
has gone, whether in the denominational or inter- 
denominational forms, there the convention features 
have been seen, and there,, as here, they furnish in- 
spiration and fellowship and pou sto for moving 
earth a little nearer to heaven. 

Whatever differences of opinion may exist as to 
the wisdom of holding such great gatherings at all, 
or so often, or as to the economy of them, it is 
pretty evident that they meet a demand not yet fully 
supplied for wider fellowship and conference among 
the young people of the Church of Christ. Even 



YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 193 

the denominational organizations of young people 
have contributed to this demand. Loyalty to one's 
own denomination does not preclude, it includes, 
loyalty to the one Church. Knowledge of one's 
own denominational history and genius sharpens 
the appetite to taste and see the good that is in 
other denominations. That Christian Endeavor was 
unable to include under its standard all the young 
people of all the churches was not its fault. It may 
prove its salvation, as well as the salvation of all. 

The growth side by side of these three great 
young people's organizations, for the past dec- 
ade, and the friendliness which they speak, and 
generally act, toward one another is doubtless 
preparing the way for something even better than 
an all-embracing catholic Christian Endeavor So- 
ciety. 

In connection with the Tenth Anniversary Jubi- 
lee of the Epworth League, in 1899, the "Epworth 
Herald" of May 13, published "Greetings from 
Kindred Societies," from the King's Daughters and 
Sons, from the Evangelical Association, the Chris- 
tian Endeavor Society, the United Brethren, the 
Baptist Union, the Luther League, from English 
and Canadian Endeavorers and from the Wesley 
Guild of English Methodism. 

The conventions and convention work of the 
Brotherhood of St. Andrew, while on a smaller and 
less enthusiastic scale, illustrates the same spirit of 
meeting together and talking over things. The 
leading idea of the Brotherhood — personal hand- 
to-hand work for saving men — must be invigorated 



194 YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 

and directed by the associated wisdom of conven- 
tion proceedings, and so, from the first, yearly con- 
ventions of the Brotherhood have been held, draw- 
ing to them a larger and larger representation of 
widespread Chapters, not only from Canada and 
the British Isles, but also from the West Indies, 
South America and Australia. 

In point of numbers in attendance, these meet- 
ings have been small, but their influence upon their 
own and other churches, has not been inconsider- 
able. From Chicago, 1886, where the first con- 
vention met, to Buffalo, 1897, where the first 
international convention was held, the story of 
growth through conferences and extension work 
by individuals is very interesting. These con- 
ventions have some legislative power, but their chief 
purpose is to serve as "schools for training workers, 
and occasions for Christian fellowship. " As in other 
orders, they have marked the steps of forward prog- 
ress, so that the history of the conventions is almost 
equivalent to the history of the Order. Conven- 
tions have been held in successive years in the fol- 
lowing cities: Chicago (1886- 1887), New York, 
Cleveland, Philadelphia, St. Louis, Boston, Detroit, 
Washington, Louisville, Pittsburg, Buffalo, Balti- 
more and Columbus. 

The Brotherhood of Andrew and Philip, begin- 
ning at Reading, Pa., with its first convention, has 
had yearly gatherings since ; for four years meet- 
ing successively in Reading, Philadelphia, Balti- 
more and Bethlehem, receiving accessions from 
other than the Reformed Churches, by the way, and 



YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 195 

voting federation of Chapters at Bethlehem (1892). 
At New York City began the first of its Federal 
Biennial Conventions. In 'alternate years since 
then it holds its denominational convention. Its 
fourth biennial was held at Baltimore in 1899. 

As in the Brotherhood of St. Andrew, personal 
work and responsibility is the marked feature of de- 
velopment. 

The Young People's Christian Union of the Uni- 
versalist Church, organized at Lynn, Mass., in 1889, 
returned thither for its Decennial Convention in 
1899. It has visited in succession during the decade 
Lynn, Rochester, Cleveland, Reading, Pa., Wash- 
ington, Harriman, Boston, Jersey City, Detroit, 
Chicago and Lynn. The Union is especially inter- 
ested in extending the organization of the Univer- 
salist Church, and has made a good beginning at 
Harriman and neighboring cities in the South. It 
invites co-operation in convention work with other 
Christian bodies, liberal and otherwise, and at its 
Decennial Jubilee it recommended that more em- 
phasis be laid upon the spiritual side of its 
work. 

There is not space to speak particularly of the 
convention work of other no less important 
Orders. 

Frequent meetings for conference and fellowship, 
for gathering inspiration from the glowing utter- 
ances of great leaders, for learning about things 
that others have done, for actual experimentation 
on the spot, for making and renewing Christian fel- 
lowship with fellow Christians of other names — this 



196 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 

is the feature and this the promise of all convention 
work from the Local to the World's Union. 

A study "of the convention work will show how 
quickly and wisely it meets the particular questions 
that arise from year to year in the life of Church 
and State, also how far removed the conventions 
are from ministering to mere platform oratory. 
Year by year they have grown into great Summer 
schools of practical teaching and doing. The fea- 
ture of lasting influence is not the set speeches, but 
the various workers' conferences, schools of prac- 
tical methods, committee meetings and practice 
meetings, which tend of late to multiply themselves 
because there is a demand for them. This practical 
and far from prosaic feature is the poetry of the 
movement. In the Appendix will be found a scheme 
of the conventions of the leading Orders, with notes 
of development. 



CHAPTER XXIV. 

FEDERATION. 



The realization of some working plan by which a 
nearer exchange of denominational genius and good 
will can be made than through fraternal greetings 
such as all are quite ready to write and speak, is the 
great desideratum of Christianity to-day. The 
promise of Christian Endeavor will yet be fulfilled, 
but it must needs come in a different way, or at 
least by a longer route, than that in which it seemed 



YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 197 

to be coming. The early days of Christian En- 
deavor, those first seven years, saw the young people 
of different denominations frequently met together 
in Local and State Unions "to increase their mu- 
tual acquaintance, and to make them more useful 
in the service of God." They talked of things about 
which they were agreed, and in which they could 
co-operate. Their methods of work were not 
prescribed. There was variety enough to interest 
and instruct. They sought to gain strength for 
Christian living and working within the lines of 
their own Churches, and with no visible sectarian 
spirit. The pastors and older members of the 
churches met with them. Each local society, while 
loyal to its own church, was learning to 

Look out and not in, 
And lend a hand. 

There was much co-operation, little or no com- 
petition. Many common religious and moral in- 
terests of town and city and country came to be con- 
sidered and worked at by these federal Unions. 
This was the only young people's way at first. 
Christian Endeavor seemed large enough and flex- 
ible enough to meet all demands for co-operative 
fellowship between the denominations. Many 
Young s People's Societies in very many denomina- 
tions still find the C. E. plan ample and satisfactory. 
The more than thirty denominations that officially 
or semi-officially recognize this plan as suitable for 
their young people bear testimony that the test of 
eighteen years of interdenominational co-operation 
has not failed of any appreciable good thing. 



T98 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 

Within the last decade the rise of the more or less 
denominational societies, while it has seemed to 
substitute competition for co-operation, has doubt- 
less inherited such a tendency to interdenomina- 
tional affiliation as will ultimately work out the 
highest good for all branches of the young people's 
organizations. So far as it appears, the kindliest 
feeling exists among each for all. The words of 
appreciation and good will that pass and repass be- 
tween the Jubilee and Convention and Anniversary 
meetings are manifestly sincere. The beginnings 
of co-operative work for the whole Church of Christ 
and through it for the world, are already here. 
Local societies are looking into the working of sis- 
ter societies in other church connections, and ac- 
quainting themselves with what the young people 
are doing who are a little differently organized, 
who wear a little different badge and work on some- 
what different lines. Local Unions of C. E. and 
B. Y. P. U. A. and Epworth Leagues are learning 
from one another, either in their own separate 
meetings or in union gatherings of all three, or in 
union efforts of all three. There is a. feeling after, 
if haply we may find and use in a modified or un- 
modified way, the good things of other societies. 
It is possible to show a still wider fellowship. Noth- 
ing hinders the Young People's Societies of the 
three great Orders named from taking account of 
the work and methods of all other Orders among 
young men or young women, in whatever denomi- 
nation they may be found, or if they are of no de- 
nomination. And out of this seeking to know there 



young people's societifs. 199 

will naturally and necessarily follow a striving to 
gether to do. The first field, then, of a newer and 
higher realization of interdenominational co-opera- 
tion and affiliation than Christian Endeavor can at 
present offer, is to be found in the local work of 
cities and towns. The beginning of a practical fed- 
eration of all Young People's Societies for seeing 
and doing the work of our common Lord has 
already been made in some places. Even though 
no farther steps be taken to bring together for wider 
study and learning of each other the State and In- 
ternational Conventions of the different Orders, 
this alone will be well worth a thorough 
trial. 

Instances are on record where the Young Peo- 
ple's Societies of a city or large town, belonging 
to different denominations and different organiza- 
tions, have come together to learn from one an- 
other and to lay plans for co-operative work in 
moral, philanthropic and civil fields within the 
bounds of the city or town. The young people are 
trying to do what their fathers in the churches are 
trying to do, that is, realize comity and appreciate 
co-operation. Without incurring any danger of 
committing themselves or their churches to any 
scheme of organic union, Christian unity may be 
made to appear at once, and these young disciples 
in the wide and unprejudiced exercise of faith and 
hope and love may lend an efficient hand in show- 
ing how "they all may be one." 

The time has come when kindly words of greet- 
ing should take to themselves feet as well as wings ; 



200 YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 

when the State Conventions of each Order should 
familiarize themselves with the work and aims of 
all other Orders, especially those who work along 
similar lines. What hinders the next State En- 
deavor Convention from hearing about the State B. 
Y. P. U. A., the Epworth League, the Brother- 
hoods of St. Andrew and of Andrew and Philip, &c, 
&c, either in prepared papers or through invited 
representatives of those Orders? Such practical 
effort after mutual knowledge, such comparison of 
ideals and ideas, is on the way to the best kind of 
federation. 

We have seen already some of the respects in 
which the Orders differ. With perfect loyalty to 
our own Order, we may be encouraged to hold our- 
selves in readiness to acquaint ourselves with any 
or all others, and to co-operate with them as occa- 
sion may require. In the International Conven- 
tions of Endeavorers, the interdenominational meet- 
ings break up into denominational rallies. The 
practice is worthy of imitation in the State Conven- 
tions. And if all young people were Endeavorers, 
the relative claims of denominationalism and inter- 
denominationalism would thus be met and studied. 
But since all Young People's Societies are not of 
the Christian Endeavor type, there is greater need 
that the more or less denominational Orders should, 
occasionally at least, unite their forces for inspira- 
tion and fellowship and instruction, as well as for 
action in co-operative work. 

Many societies of the B. Y. P. U. A. and other 
denominational Orders which are Christian En- 



YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 201 

deavor have a double advantage in sharing the spirit 
and meetings of both organizations. 

The recent failure of a very hopeful attempt to 
secure closer relations between the Y. P. S. C. E. 
and the Epworth League is not a proclamation of 
determined separateness and churchly disintegra- 
tion. It is not to be taken as a blow at Christian 
unity. It is simply the continuance of the policy 
adopted from the first of "temporary segregation." 
It does not discourage "practical catholic co-opera- 
tion/' but seeks it in another way. Without doubt 
the Epworth League is sincere in adopting as its 
sentiment and promulgating John Wesley's words, 
"I desire a league, offensive and defensive, with 
every soldier of Jesus Christ ;" and those of Bishop 
Simpson, "We live to make our Church a power 
in the land, while we live to love every other Church 
that exalts our Christ." 

In these days of discussion on federation, its de- 
sirability and practicability, and of actual applica- 
tion of its principles seen in recent Councils held in 
our own country of representatives of the Congre- 
gational and Presbyterian polities, it was to be ex- 
pected that the Young People's Societies in the 
churches would share in the movement of thought, 
and as they have largely contributed to the strength 
of the movement it has been questioned whether 
they were not best fitted to be the field of its mani- 
festation, so again a child leading them. 

In the issue of "The Independent," April I, 1897, 
there was a symposium participated in by repre- 
sentatives of several young people's organizations 



202 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 

on the question, "Shall the Young People's So- 
cieties Be Federated ?" 

Bishop Ninde, of the Epworth League; Secre- 
tary Baer, of the Y. P. S. C. E. ; Secretary Chivers, 
of the B. Y. P. U. A.; President Landis, of the 
Y. P. C. U. of the United Brethren; President 
Eilert, of the Luther League ; President Spreng, of 
the Young People's Alliance of the Evangelical 
Association, and others took part in the discussion 
opened by Dr. Carroll, of "The Independent/' who 
hoped for an alliance or federation which should 
provide for a general congress or conference of all 
Young People's Societies in 1900, the closing year 
of the present century. 

Bishop Ninde says that the Epworth League is 
already "fully committed to the general plan of an 
alliance or federation of the Young People's So- 
cieties," that the Board of Control has indorsed 
the suggestion of the above-mentioned congress, 
and thinks that "if there could be occasional confer- 
ences between the responsible managers of the dif- 
ferent Young People's Societies, no doubt many 
ways could be devised for active co-operation and 
strengthening the bonds of fraternal sympathy. 
Especially might the cause of Christian missions, 
both in the foreign field and in the destitute parts 
of the home field, be greatly promoted." Secre- 
tary Chivers thinks that "the suggested federation 
will win acceptance only as it furnishes adequate 
reason for being. ... If it can be shown that 
there are practical ends to be gained, of sufficient 
importance to justify the formation of a new body, 



YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 203 

there is little doubt that hearty co-operation could 
be secured/' 

Dr. J. T. Beckley, a Baptist Trustee of the United 
Society of Christian Endeavor, says that "the 
Christian Endeavor movement has been the strong- 
est force in this direction. Its genius is to attach 
the Society loyally to the local church, and yet to 
bring it into the widest and sweetest fellowship 
with all who 'profess and call themselves Chris- 
tians/ Its history, its priority, its phenomenal 
growth, point to it as 'the logical nucleus for such 
a union.' " Speaking as a Baptist, he says that his 
"own communion is one of the largest and strong- 
est ; but no denomination is large enough and strong 
enough to hold rival camps of young people. The 
smoke of the early conflict has passed away, and 
to-day there are City Unions and State Associ- 
ations, where, so far as the denomination is con- 
cerned, the problem is solved, the federation idea 
is a success, and Baptist Union and Christian En- 
deavor Societies work together as one. I can 
hardly conceive of a greater blessing than the fed- 
eration of all the societies of every name both North 
and South." And he adds : "The importance of 
federation as facing social problems cannot be ex- 
aggerated." 

President Landis says that his Union is "ready for 
such a movement, and will heartily welcome it." 
President Eilert points out some of the difficulties 
of federation arising from differences of doctrine 
and belief, questions whether the results of the 
proposed conference would justify its being called 



204 YOU^G PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 

together, but adds : "It may be, then, that the 
gathering together of such a vast army of young 
Christians as represented in the various organiza- 
tions mentioned would exert a powerful influence 
for good upon those who are still of the world, and 
emphasize with no uncertain sound the fact that 
the greater number of the young men and young 
women of this nation are enlisted under the cross 
of Christ." President Spreng is sure that the pro- 
posed conference "would emphasize the essential 
unity of spirit which exists between all its con- 
stituents. It would facilitate co-operation on lines 
of philanthropy and civic reform, -if not, indeed, in 
general evangelistic and missionary campaigns." 

Secretary Baer points out the historic attitude of 
Christian Endeavor with reference to the federation 
problem, and the partial realization of the idea 
within its own ranks, as indicating the attitude of 
the Y. P. S. C. E. 

This generally favorable attitude of many so- 
cieties to the federation idea will doubtless act as 
an incentive to the realizing of the same on a small 
scale in Local Unions. Something of what has 
been attempted and accomplished in this direction 
has been indicated above. It is better to begin at 
this end and let federation be a growth, rather than 
to push for formal organization, however informal, 
and make it the standard to which all must come up. 

It is quite evident that segregation is reaching 
its limits, that co-operation is getting to be stronger 
than competition, and that affiliation, alliance, fed- 
eration are in the ascendant. The coming "ism" is 
interdenominationalism. 



YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 205 

CHAPTER XXV. 

RESULTS. 

The Young People's movement has been long 
enough on foot to enable us to reckon up some 
results. 

I. Results Aimed At. — Among the earliest news- 
paper articles from the fertile pen of President F. E. 
Clark, was one entitled "How One Church Cares 
For Its Young People." This was the first notice 
given to the world of the existence of a Society of 
Christian Endeavor, and it struck the keynote of 
the entire young people's movement — a movement 
to train the young people in and for the Church. 
The first Society was of the Church. The whole 
movement starts from the Church. The local 
Church is everywhere the unit, with power to form 
and conform as the local and denominational needs 
require. It was training for Christian character and 
service, not the- exhibition and manoeuvering of ex- 
perts and regulars that was aimed at. Much of 
the criticism of the young people's society forgets 
that it is still a training school for the Church, as 
the Church is the training school for the Kingdom. 
Undergraduates are not expected to display the 
poise and perfection, the wisdom and persistence of 
graduates, even under the ablest instructors. The 
first and best results of Young People's Societies 
are to be looked for in the societies themselves, and 
in the churches to which they belong. The draining 
of young converts for effective work through the 
Church, in the world, for the Kingdom requires 



206 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 

time, and does not much lend itself to display. The 
influences of the societies upon those members in 
them who are not Christians are often intangible, 
while effectually moulding character. The system- 
atic training of young people in the churches, the 
promotion of intelligent and vital piety, the waking 
of soul to see the possibilities of culture and citizen- 
ship for Christ's sake, are things that go on unher- 
alded, untabulated, but they are important, because 
true methods of pedagogy. It is a great thing to 
have rallied the young people to see how much they 
need the Church, and how much the Church needs 
them. This army of Endeavorers, with all its divis- 
ions, mustered in and being drilled promises great 
things in the conflict with evil. 

II. Results Achieved. — But it is not all promises. 
The promise of the early days has been kept. We 
can speak of results achieved. There has been a 
wakening and widening and deepening of Christian 
life among the young, seen in steady growth in spir- 
itual knowledge and power, in the many new fields 
of service entered by these young recruits, in the 
steadying of the active Christian life by quiet medi- 
tation and "practice of the presence of God." Thou- 
sands upon thousands of young people have attrib- 
uted their consecrated purposes to be all and do all 
they can to the influences of these societies. A 
mighty host of young believers has grown up out of 
the associated memberships, swelling the ranks of 
active members. Inspiration caught in the society 
has sent many young people out to win their fellows 
for Christ in personal talk, in cottage meetings, in 



YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 20J 

noon-day gatherings along the way, and at the great 
conventions. 

Results have been achieved for the Churches with 
which these societies are connected. Many of the 
earliest members of the societies have graduated 
into the regular, and, because of them, more sys- 
tematic and vigorous work of the Church, and the 
principles and knowledge have been taken over and 
laid at the feet of the working Church. Many who 
are still in Young People's Societies have entered 
with a will into the Church activities and made a 
place for themselves, without struggle, with the 
hearty good will of the older Christians. The 
writer knows a Church which, for fourteen years, 
has cherished and nurtured and profited by 
its Society of Christian Endeavor. Graduates 
of that Society, in the Senior Society, so 
called, are among the foremost workers in the ranks 
of the Church. Nine of its eleven officers have been, 
or are, Endeavorers, four of its five trustees, eight of 
its ten Sunday-school officers, twenty-one of its 
twenty-four Sunday-school teachers, all of its ushers 
and almost all of its choir. Christian Endeavor 
members are on the executive boards of its foreign 
and home missionary societies. The superintend- 
ents of the Young Ladies' Auxiliary of the Wo- 
man's Board of Missions, of the Children's Mission 
Circle, and of the Cradle Roll, are all Christian En- 
deavorers. 

This is by no means an unusual thing after all 
these years, and the steady promotion from lower 
grades in all the societies is making itserf felt as a 



208 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 

well organized, well-drilled, spiritual power within 
the ranks of the Church itself. 

Not only have the Churches received new and 
trained life through the co-operation of the Young 
People's Societies, but a movement is going on to 
secure forever the benefit of this valuable accession. 
In the Christian Endeavor organization it takes the 
form of the Senior Society, and its counterpart will 
be sure to appear in other organizations when the 
need is felt. This Senior Society consists of "those 
who, by reason of increasing duties or age, or for 
any other good reason, are not able to fulfil their 
duties as active members of Young People's Soci- 
eties of Christian Endeavor, but who yet desire to 
maintain its principles and methods, together with 
other older Church members who may wish to asso- 
ciate themselves with the Society for the object 
above named and on the basis of the pledge." This 
is an advance step, and is intended to capture the 
Church and help it in its training for the work of the 
Kingdom. "This Society will have very few rules 
and regulations, no officers (necessarily) except a 
lookout committee, no meetings of its own except 
an occasional business meeting, but all its energy 
will be put into the Church prayer-meeting and 
other existing channels of Church activity." Its 
pledge is the Young People's Pledge, slightly modi- 
fied and enlarged, to cover regular and systematic 
giving. This Senior Society "preserves and con- 
serves the energy and training furnished by the 
Christian Endeavor Society." 

There are some Churches which have been organ- 



YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 209 

ized from the start on Christian Endeavor principles 
and methods. The "Burlington Plan" of Church 
work is largely an adaptation of Christian Endeavor 
methods. It seeks "to gather into one harmonious 
system various lines of work that singly have had 
large success in many Churches. It concentrates 
attention upon those things which ever must be the 
centre and soul of the Church work, the Sunday 
preaching, the mid-week prayer-meeting, and per- 
sonal contact with those whom we are sent to win. 
. . . The mainspring of the movement is the Ex- 
ecutive Committee, which is made up of a chairman 
with three gentlemen and three ladies, and the pas- 
tor ex-ofUcio. This committee is chosen by the 
Church at its annual meeting, and serves one year. 
The pastor is ex-ofUcio member of all committees. 
The Executive Committee enlists members in the 
Personal Workers' Band, and appoints the members 
of the Welcome, Outlook, Mid-week Prayer-meet- 
ing and District committees. " 

That such work done by the society in and 
through its own Church should have something to 
show, is to be expected. The various activities of 
the Young People's Societies give some idea of 
the breadth and depth of the work. President 
Clark, in his annual address at the Washington 
Convention of 1896, said that during the fifteen 
years preceding "over one million of the associate 
members had come into the Evangelical Churches 
connected with fifty denominations, influenced, in 
part at least, by the Christian Endeavor Society, 
and it is certain that over two millions of dollars 



2IO YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 

have been given in benevolence through denomina- 
tional and Church channels." 

The recent revival of missionary and temperance 
and good citizenship study and effort all along the 
line in all the branches of the young people's work, 
may be set down as a result achieved. The start- 
ing of these movements under such organizations 
will insure their continuance. The Churches feel 
the influence and multiply the efforts. 

The question has been discussed of late, whether 
the Young People's Societies are accomplishing all 
that they should; whether they are not relaxing 
loyalty to their own Churches and busying them- 
selves here and there while souls are lost ; whether 
they have not decreased the Sunday-school attend- 
ance and stood in the way of revivals of religion; 
whether they have not been too assertive, and prided 
themselves upon their numbers and influence, with- 
out taking care to have their power exerted for the 
best ends. 

Let it be frankly admitted that the Young Peo- 
ple's Societies are not doing all that they should. 
Certainly they are not doing all that is expected of 
them. But as to whether they are not pretty faith- 
fully and fully doing all that ought to be expected 
of them, a negative decision is not so sure to be a 
true one. It must be remembered that these soci- 
eties hold no patent right for producing phenom- 
enal results with the simplest agencies. They are 
not composed of picked men and women, experi- 
enced, chastened. They are under the influence of 
their respective Churches, They share the spirit of 



YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 211 

the times. Why should they be expected to lead 
the van, and show results in their youth, which the 
aged veterans in the Churches have never shown, 
and even under the influence of the new, young, 
consecrated lives among them, are not now show- 
ing? The societies are under the control of the local 
Churches. The pastors are their pastors. They 
have had every opportunity of pastoral oversight 
and suggestion. If these societies are holding apart 
from the Churches, hindering the Sunday-school, 
hardening the hearts of men so that they do not re- 
ceive the truth, frittering away their energies on 
things that do not profit, whose is the responsibil- 
ity? The Young People's Society is not the Church. 
It is only a part of it, a very small part, and we have 
no right to expect that of a part, the absence of 
which we incline to excuse or palliate in the whole. 
When was an army judged chiefly by the efficiency 
of its volunteers, its raw recruits? 

Another thing is worth remembering. The per- 
sonnel of the Young People's Societies is constantly 
changing, oftener than that of the Churches, and 
new material is all the while coming in, to be trained 
for service. Let us not in our eagerness for results 
as we call them, thrust forward too soon, or too un- 
supported our newest regiments. 

It is believed, however, that when judged by a 
reasonable expectation, the Young People's Soci- 
eties have achieved satisfactory results. If we in- 
quire into their attendance upon the services of their 
Churches and their participation therein, we are told 
upon testimony of wide reach and unprejudiced 



212 YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 

spirit that "nearly twice as large a per cent, of them 
attend the evening service, and more than twice as 
large a per cent, of them attend the mid-week ser- 
vice as of all the Church members, old and young," 
and that "participation in the mid-week meeting of 
the Church has vastly increased, take it the country 
over, by reason of the training the young Christians 
have had in their society." This testimony respects 
Christian Endeavorers. To adduce testimony from 
other organizations would only be to duplicate this. 
The members of the Endeavor Societies are, almost 
without an exception, found in the Sunday-school, 
either as teachers or scholars, and the advocates of 
Sunday-school methods are for the most part advo- 
cates of Christian Endeavor methods. And the same 
is true probably in the other orders. 

The fact is that there is no one thing, no one line 
of effort, that ought to be selected as a test of the 
efficiency of Young People's Societies. To say that 
their chief business is to win men to Christ and the 
Church, and that unless they are doing this pretty 
effectively and exclusively, they are untrue to their 
trust, is not true. The Young People's Society is 
not an evangelistic agency. Neither is it a substi- 
tute for the Church's mid-week meeting, nor a guar- 
antee of the fervor of Church life as shown there. 
Why should we look for the whole society to come 
in and take our vacant seats, or voice our silence, 
and why should we lay greater burdens on the So- 
ciety than we do on the Church in the matter of tak- 
ing part in meetings, and why should we judge our 
young people's spiritual growth and vigor by what 



YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 213 

they do or do not do in our meetings — ours and 
their's? The Young People's Society is not a mis- 
sionary society, nor a temperance society, nor a 
good citizenship society, nor a literary society, nor 
a social society. It is a society for the promotion of 
Christian character and service, in and through the 
local Church, and not for the exhibition of the same 
before or instead of the local Church. It is a society 
for systematic and symmetrical development of 
Christian life. 

The Society makes a mistake, and society makes 
a mistake when it looks for one-sided, scraggly, 
scrappy work, because unsupported and regulated 
by equally necessary work. Any Young People's 
Society. which purposes to make a specialty of any 
kind of Christian work, purposes its own death as a 
spiritual power, even though it make evangelizing 
work its chief study. 

From this point of view, much of the criticism of 
Young People's Societies falls wide of the mark. 
The mission of the Society is no narrow or short- 
lived one. It seeks to reinforce with consecrated 
lives the various activities appropriate to a Christian 
Church. It must have time given it to do its train- 
ing well. 

Doubtless there is danger that the proportion 
may not always be observed between the different 
branches of study and efforts to which the societies 
are pledged. The overworking of the prayer-meet- 
ing may easily lead to being satisfied with it, and 
with our own spirituality. Too much pre-eminence 
paid to literary culture may educate away from vital 



214 YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 

touch with the associated work of the Churches. 
Devotion to active philanthropy may unfit for either 
meditation or study. All these are needed, and it is 
the purpose of every well ordered society to give 
each their due place. 

The Epworth League has recently been subjected 
to much criticism for what it was not doing. It was 
asserted that it was not getting hold of the young 
and bringing them to Christ. Much good-natured 
though intense criticism was published, and it is un- 
derstood that good has already resulted from the 
wide attention given to what may have been a weak 
point in the working of the Epworth League. It is 
declared that there has been a right-about-face and 
a trend toward spirituality in all the Chapters. All 
such criticism from the inside as well as from the 
outside, if rightly directed, does good. 

The "British Weekly" opened its columns lately 
to strictures upon Endeavor work in the British 
Isles with beneficial results on the whole. A serial 
story in the form of fiction, entitled "My Experi- 
ence as a Christian Endeavorer," running through 
nine numbers, disclosed certain follies and foibles 
in a certain society, under a particularly wooden 
pastor, containing an unusual number of cranks, 
and adopting a surprisingly unsympathetic and 
literal interpretation of C. E. principles. That par- 
ticular society, after floundering around for a while, 
learned wisdom by experience, and came at last, it 
would seem, by its own. The story punctured cer- 
tain faults due to rawness, in a tender spirit, and 
served, it is hoped, its intended purpose. 



YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 215 

But the point to be kept in mind is that too much 
must not be expected of the societies. Very much 
of their work is of such a nature that it cannot be 
tabulated. The coming days will show the better 
working out of the lessons learned during the 
period of training, but it will be the churches that 
will show them, not the societies. The churches will 
reap the fruits. 

Of the fruit actually borne by Young People's So- 
cieties during these years of their existence, Presi- 
dent Clark, in a sense the father of them all, may 
be regarded as a competent witness. He declared in 
his annual address at Nashville in 1898 that the 
C. E. Society during the past seventeen years had 
borne twelve manner of fruit : 

1. A revived prayer-meeting. 

2. A new sense of consecration. 

3. A renewal of the covenant idea. 

4. A new range of work by young people, for the 
Church, by our committees. 

5. A new love and loyalty for the Church of God. 

6. An aroused patriotism and sense of Christian citizen- 
ship. 

7. A new type of interdenominational brotherhood. 

8. A new type of international brotherhood. 

9. A quickened missionary zeal, including a quickened 
love for the prisoners and the outcasts at home, as well as 
for the heathen abroad. 

10. A new interest in the sailor and soldier and the brave 
life-saver on our coast. 

11. Systematic and proportionate giving to God. 

12. The practice of communion with God in the Quiet 
Hour. 



216 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES.' 

These are not exclusively Christian Endeavor 
products. Many, if not most of them, are found on 
other trees of life in the same garden. 

III. Results Expected.— -The first fruits of a better 
acquaintance with the genius of each Order on the 
part of every other Order are beginning to appear. 
There will probably follow, upon careful and ex- 
perimental study of the working of each type of or- 
ganization, certain modifications or adaptations of 
one another's methods which will bring in the con- 
ditions out of which may come, if needed, actual 
federation. 

The distinctive features of each Order, if found 
worthy to stand, will be improved upon, and a bet- 
ter co-ordination of activities within and without 
the societies may be expected to take place. 

i. Covenant. The optional pledge will go for- 
ward into a prepared and sure place, and wall be 
seen to be, by all, what now some see it to be. We 
are told that comparatively few Epworth Leagues 
use the pledge. The "Epworth Herald/' however, 
recently said that the pledge is growing in favor. 
The Brotherhood methods of hand-to-hand work 
among those of like business with ourselves will add 
strength to the devotional life, and even here the 
pledge is not useless. 

Says the Brotherhood Handbook : 

The Rule of Service has commended itself to those who 
have tested it by experience as a very effective stimulus 
and help to steadiness and persistence in energetic work. 
Helping a man to keep the great fact of the Christian 
vocation ever before his mind, the rule leads him to look 



YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 217 

out for opportunities that might otherwise escape him and 
to make openings where no room for aggressive effort 
is at first apparent. It tends to create a habit of mis- 
sionary activity that no vague obligation can ever pro- 
duce. The rule puts the whole matter on a practical, 
mathematical basis, and prescribes a particular amount of 
a certain kind of work within a specified time. It makes 
Christian endeavor as binding as a business appointment. 
A man generally finds it hard to keep an appointment for 
"some time or other;" he is more likely to keep an ap- 
pointment for "next Saturday at ten o'clock," or for 
"some time between to-day and next Monday." This fact 
of human nature was recognized by those who started the 
Brotherhood on its career, and the results have proved 
their wisdom. The requirement they put into their Rule 
of Service is, after all, nothing but an application, in a 
single direction, of the baptismal vow. It can hardly be 
thought that this general Christian obligation is reasona- 
bly fulfilled by a man who is not, at least once in seven 
days, putting forth a conscientious effort to bring some 
other man nearer to the Source of all spiritual strength 
and life. 

This will result in the resurrection to a new life 
of the principles underlying the Church covenant, 
and we may expect the quickening process to go on 
till all dead church members, who are in their 
graves, will hear — if capable of doing so — this voice, 
and, hearing, live. They will be surrounded by a 
living company of graduate members of the Young 
People's Societies, and helped to be active. But 
whatever these may or may not do, the time is at 
hand when the majority of living church members 
will be composed of those who have had the Young 
People's Society training, and the next generation 
will have an opportunity to see what all this young 



2l8 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 

people's movement has come to, how far it has been 
loyal to the Church, how far its principles have per- 
meated the Church, what a trained church is, and 
what it can and will do for the furtherance of the 
Kingdom of God. 

2. Culture. The mental stimulus of prepared 
Bible study, of Reading and Culture Courses, now 
offered and becoming more widely accepted, will 
admirably supplement the work of the church and 
the Sunday-school. A generation of young people 
is growing up more than ever familiar with Church 
and denominational history. The young people in 
all the denominations are studying the history and 
genius of their own division of the Church, and are 
learning how Christian unity can and cannot be 
reached. Work along these lines in the societies 
will form a taste for intelligent and discriminating 
reading in broader fields of Church history. Vol- 
umes like those published in the Epochs of Church 
History Series and in the American Church His- 
tory Series by the Christian Literature Co., now 
by Charles Scribner's Sons, New York City, will 
find eager, ready readers to the great benefit of the 
whole Church of God. 

The ground is being prepared also in the socie- 
ties for a truly critical and appreciative knowledge 
of the Sacred Scriptures. The various methods of 
Bible study and numerous helps thereto found in 
the organs and publications of the different Orders, 
impress our young people with the conviction that 
there is very much more about and in the Bible 
than they had supposed from their connection with 



YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 219 

the Sunday-school. Especially will those books that 
broaden culture and act as seeds of great promise 
for individual and social life be sought out and as- 
similated. In short, all that is included in Chris- 
tian culture may confidently be looked for to appear 
and thrive under the well-directed stimulus given 
the young people to-day in their various societies. 

3. Civics. The civic duty which all owe to their 
country will be increasingly felt, and public life will 
be purer because many of the leaders in it will be 
those who have had the excellent training of the 
Young People's Societies, or have been strongly 
influenced by it, and public men will be strength- 
ened to do right because they know they have be- 
hind them a right-minded constituency that will in- 
sist upon righteous action. 

The temperance question will address itself to 
an intelligent Church, exerting through its mem- 
bers, power in personal practice and in legislation 
hitherto unknown. Governmental policy in State 
and nation respecting the drink traffic will be 
swayed by the Christian forces of the land. Gradu- 
ates of Young People's Societies who have pledged 
themselves to do "whatever Jesus would like to 
have them do," to "seek the New Testament stand- 
ard of Christian life and experience/' will not be 
willingly inactive nor indifferent when questions 
arise touching so many sacred interests of person 
and home and society and church as are endan- 
gered by the recognition and legalization of the 
beverage traffic in intoxicating drinks. As citizens 
seeking the best welfare of the people, they who 



220 YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 

have profited by the instruction and training of 
Young People's Societies will not be content to 
stand as spectators when a policy is advocated or 
pursued which, however unintentional, works 
against manhood and demoralizes individuals and 
peoples. Better and more successful methods of 
regulating, or repressing, or suppressing the drink 
traffic must be adopted, in the interest of State and 
Church, and we look to see such a union of Chris- 
tian people on some practicable, rational basis as 
will secure such legislation on this question as will 
define and protect the rights of all. 

Civic as well as personal duties are here involved. 
It is not unreasonable to expect that those who do 
not want to see certain things done will somehow 
combine to see that they are not done. Certain work 
already done on temperance lines by associated 
young people of these societies gives hope that the 
attempt to do larger and wider work against the 
harmful features of the liquor problem will not be 
unsuccessful. Lessons in co-operation in Young 
People's Societies may suggest ways of getting 
things done through political organizations, tem- 
perance-wise as otherwise. 

4. Missions. Especially will the cause of missions 
cease to go begging. We shall be able to dispense 
with the stimulus of missionary secretaries, and the 
Church will, under new leaders and moved by a 
power within, go without being called, and give 
without being asked. The well-to-do grown-up 
young people, remembering their training, will re- 
member Zion with more than prayers and pennies. 



YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 221 



More intelligent knowledge of the world's needs 
will bring about better adjustment of expenditures 
in the home and foreign fields. The forward move- 
ment, now well a-going everywhere, will be left far 
behind. Churches will learn, and joy to do, their 
missionary work more at first hand. They will do 
directly what now they are too content to do indi- 
rectly, and it may be that the days of Missionary 
Boards will be ended. Certainly, unless all signs 
fail, they will be able to lay down their arduous 
duties of gathering money and men, and will be 
more hopefully employed in administering the 
riches which the revived and ripening churches will 
pour into their hands. 

In short, all that is now seen of results will be 
added to, and results not anticipated will probably 
follow, all making toward the bringing of the 
world, through the reinvigorated and resolute 
churches, under the sway of Jesus Christ. 

The young people's movement is not destined to 
any short life. The principles and methods which 
have been evoked will never utterly cease to be 
operative. Provision is made in Junior and Ad- 
vanced Societies and studies for the indefinite con- 
tinuance of this kind of Christian activity. 

Forms and names will change. Attempted affili- 
ations now unsuccessful may become facts before 
many years. The young people's movement will 
always be a large factor in the larger movement 
of the Churches of Jesus Christ toward Christian 
unity. 



APPENDIX. 



I. PLATFORMS AND PRINCIPLES. PAGE 

i. Y. P. S. C. E 223 

2. B. Y. P. U. A 225 

3. Epworth League 227 

4. Brotherhood of St. Andrew 228 

II. RITUAL. 

1. Brotherhood of St. Andrew 229 

2. Knights of King Arthur 233 

3. Epworth League 238 

III. CONVENTIONS AND NOTES 244 

IV. OFFICIAL INFORMATION 247 

V. LITERATURE 253 



YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 223 

I. 

PLATFORMS AND PRINCIPLES. 

1. Y. P. S. C. E. 

The following platform of principles was indorsed 
by the officers and trustees of the United Society of 
Christian Endeavor and by the Fifteenth Interna- 
tional Convention : 

We reaffirm our adherence to the principles which, 
under God's blessing, have made the Christian Endeavor 
movement what it is to-day. 

First and foremost, personal devotion to our divine 
Lord and Saviour x Jesus Christ. 

Second, the covenant obligation embodied in the prayer- 
meeting pledge, without which there can be no true So- 
ciety of Christian Endeavor. 

Third, constant religious training for all kinds of service 
involved in the various committeees, which — so many of 
them as are needed — are, equally with the prayer-meeting, 
essential to a Society of Christian Endeavor. 

Fourth, strenuous loyalty to the local church and de- 
nomination with which each Society is connected. This 
loyalty is plainly expressed in the pledge; it underlies the 
whole idea of the movement, and, as statistics prove and 
pastors testify, is very generally exemplified in the lives 
of active members. Thus the Society of Christian En- 
deavor, in theory and practice, is as loyal a denomina- 
tional Society as any in existence, as well as a broad and 
fraternal interdenominational Society. 

Fifth, we reaffirm our increasing confidence in the inter- 
denominational spiritual fellowship, through which we 
hope, not for organic unity, but to fulfil our Lord's prayer, 
"that they all may be one." This fellowship already ex- 
tends to all evangelical denominations, and we should 
greatly deplore any movement that would interrupt or 
imperil it. 



224 YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 

Sixth, Christian Endeavor stands always and everywhere 
for Christian citizenship. It is forever opposed to the 
saloon, the gambling-den, the brothel and every like in- 
iquity. It stands for temperance, for law, for order, for 
Sabbath-keeping, for a pure political atmosphere; in a 
word, for righteousness. And this it does not by ally- 
ing itself with a political party, but by attempting, through 
the quick conscience of its individual members, to perme- 
ate and influence all parties and all communities. 

Seventh, tha.t all moneys gathered by the various So- 
cieties of Christian Endeavor for the cause of missions be 
always sent to the missionary boards of the special de- 
nomination to which the particular Society belongs. 

And also, Christian Endeavor officers and Societies are 
affectionately reminded that appeals to them for money 
should come through their pastors and the officers of their 
churches; and when such appeals are addressed to the So- 
cieties directly, they should be referred to the pastors and 
church officers for their approval before being acted on 
by the Societies. 

Also, that the causes to which the Societies give should 
be those approved by the denominations to which the So- 
cieties belong. Thus the Societies avoid recognition and 
support of independent and irresponsible movements. 

Eighth, Christian Endeavor has for its ultimate aim a 
purpose no less wide and lofty than the bringing of the 
world to Christ. Hence it is an organization intensely 
evangelistic and missionary in its spirit, and desires to do 
all it may, under the direction of the churches and the 
missionary boards, for missionary extension the world 
around. 

These objects it seeks to accomplish, while it remem- 
bers that it is an influence rather than an institution; that 
its united Societies and its State, Provincial and local 
unions have no legislative functions; that they can levy 
no taxes and control no local Society, which is always 
and only under the control of its own church. The duties 



YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 225 

of these unions are limited to matters of information, in- 
spiration and fellowship. 

We rejoice in the growing friendliness of Christians, 
and in the fact that more and more, as the true spirit of 
Christian Endeavor is understood in every evangelical 
Protestant denomination the world around, with but one 
or two exceptions, our fellowship is constantly growing 
larger. 

We believe that, for the sake of Christian fairness and 
courtesy, in all denominations and all over the world, the 
the Christian Endeavor principles should go with the 
name, and the name, either alone or in connection with a 
distinctive denominational name, should go with the prin- 
ciples. 

For the maintenance of these principles of covenant 
obligation, individual service, denominational loyalty and 
interdenominational fellowship we unitedly and heartily 
pledge ourselves. 

The following resolution was unanimously 
adopted at the Minneapolis Convention : 

Resolved, That, as from the beginning, we stand upon 
an evangelical basis (meaning by "evangelical" personal 
faith in the divine human person and atoning work of 
Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, as the only and 
sufficient source of salvation) ; and we recommend that, 
as in the United Society, only Societies connected with 
evangelical churches be enrolled on the list of State and 
local unions. 



2. B. Y. P. U. A. 

From "Summary of History and Principles" : 

Ques. 19. By what general statement was the Com- 
mittee on Constitution guided in framing the plans of 
organization of the B. Y. P. U. A.? 

Ans. The "Basis of Organization" — seven articles 
agreed upon at a conference of representative Baptists, 



226 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 

which convened at Philadelphia April 22, 1891. The 
document was published and widely disseminated just pre- 
vious to the convention, and read as follows: 

GENERAL BASIS OF ORGANIZATION. 

The undersigned, cognizant of the fact that there is a 
widespread desire for a more thorough organization of 
the young people of the Baptist churches for indoctrina- 
tion in distinctive Baptist principles and instruction in 
Baptist history; for more effective service in the local 
churches; for a better acquaintanceship among our young 
people; for the better pushing of all mission work — do- 
mestic, home and foreign — suggest the following basis 
for organization: 

1. That the Baptist National organization, when formed 
in July next, be on a basis broad enough to receive all 
Baptist Young People's Societies of whatever name or 
constitution. 2. That no Baptist Young People's Society 
now organized be required to reorganize under any other 
name or constitution in order to obtain fellowship and 
representation in such body, either State or National. 
3. That such National organization adopt the "Young 
People at Work" as the organ of the Young People's 
Societies, with the understanding that the paper is to be 
impartially hospitable to all such societies, and that the 
paper shall especially devote itself to the indoctrination 
of the Baptist young people in the distinguishing tenets 
of Baptist churches. 4. That all Young People's Socie- 
ties in Baptist churches, of whatever name or constitu- 
tion, be earnestly requested to heartily co-operate in As- 
sociational, State and National Baptist organization. 5. 
That each Young People's Society shall be left to deter- 
mine to what extent it will participate in interdenomina- 
tional societies. 6. That all societies of young people in 
Baptist churches be strenuously urged to subscribe for 
the "Young People at Work" and also to circulate other 
Baptist literature. 7. That while the National organiza- 
tion may recommend some model constitution for local 



YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 227 

societies, the constitution shall be entirely optional with 
all societies in affiliation with the body. 

Signed, Wayland Hoyt, Albert G. Lawson, P. S. Hen- 
son, F. L. Wilkins, Benjamin Griffith, John H. Chapman, 
A. J. Rowland, C. R. Blackall, Alexander Blackburn, Jo- 
seph K. Dixon, Philip L. Jones, O. W. Spratt, O. W. Van 
Osdel, John T. Beckley, C. C. Bitting, A. W. Lamar, 
Chas. H. Banes, Frank M. Ellis, William R. Harper, O. 
P. Eaches, R. S. MacArthur. 



3. EPWORTH LEAGUE. 

Extract from "Epworth Leaflet No. 10," entitled 
the Denominational Young People's Society : 

There is a reason for our denominational organization 
in the fact that^our plans for the young people are original, 
are unique, are broader. and more complete than those 
of any undenominational society. They are original, for 
the Epworth League has not drawn an idea from any 
existing society. They are unique, unlike those of any 
other organization. That they are broader and more 
complete may be perceived by a comparison of our con- 
stitution for local Chapters with the model constitution 
of the leading union society of our time. We aim in our 
Society to promote a symmetrical Christian character. As 
its basis there should be an earnest religious experience 
and a strong testimony for Christ. We want an associ- 
ation in which our young people shall speak and sing and 
pray together, and thus be builded up to become pillars 
in the Church of the twentieth century. To earnestness 
we seek to add intelligence, uniting with the old-fashioned 
fire a broad Christian culture. We seek also for practical 
usefulness, and would train our young people in works of 
mercy and help. If we can have earnest, intelligent and 
working Christians, ours will be an ideal Church. A 
glance at the "Epworth Wheel," printed with our con- 



228 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 

stitution, will show the comprehensiveness of our aims; 
and the results of our work in many places will prove that 
we accomplish them. 



4. BROTHERHOOD OF ST. ANDREW. 

Declaration of Essential Principles of Brother- 
hood of St. Andrew, adopted at Washington, D. C, 
1894: 

Object. — The sole object of the Brotherhood of St. An- 
drew is the spread of Christ's Kingdom among young 
men, and to this end every man desiring to become a 
member thereof must pledge himself to obey the rules of 
the Brotherhood so long as he shall be a member. 

Rules. — These rules are two: The Rule of Prayer and 
the Rule of Service. The Rule of Prayer is to pray daily 
for the spread of Christ's Kingdom among young men 
and for God's blessing upon the labors of the Brother- 
hood. The Rule of Service is to make an earnest effort 
each week to bring at least one young man within the 
hearing of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Organisation. — Any organization of young men in any 
parish, mission or educational institution of the Protestant 
Episcopal Church in the United States of America, the 
Church of England in Canada, the Episcopal Church in 
Scotland, the Church of England, or any of her branches, 
the Church of Ireland, or in any other Church of the 
Anglican Communion, effected under the name' of the 
Brotherhood of St. Andrew, with the approval of the 
rector or minister in charge, for the one object and under 
the two rules as above set forth, is entitled to become 
and be a Chapter of the Brotherhood of St. Andrew as 
long as said approval shall continue, and to representation 
in Brotherhood conventions. 

Qualifications. — No man shall be a member of a Chapter 
who is not baptized, and no member shall be elected pre- 



YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 229 

siding officer of his Chapter, or a delegate to a conven- 
tion, who is not also a communicant of one of the Churches 
aforesaid. 

II. 

RITUAL. 

1. BROTHERHOOD OF ST. ANDREW. 

A form of admission into the Brotherhood of St. 
Andrew, suggested by the Council and in common 
use: 

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the 
Holy Ghost. Amen. 

Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name. 
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, As it is 
in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive 
us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against 
us. And lead us not into temptation; But deliver us from 
evil; For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the 
glory, for ever and ever. Amen. 

Versicle. I will declare Thy Name unto my brethren. 

Response. In the midst of the congregation will I 
praise Thee. 

V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the 
Holy Ghost. 

R. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall 
be, world without end. 

V. Prosper Thou the work of our hands upon us. 

R. O prosper Thou our handiwork. 

Direct us, O Lord, in all our doings, with Thy most 
gracious favor, and further us with Thy continual help, 
that in all our works begun, continued, and ended in Thee, 
we may glorify Thy holy Name, and finally, by Thy mercy, 
obtain everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. 
Amen. 

to the candidate. 
Do you desire to become a member of the Brotherhood 
of St. Andrew? 
Answer. I do. 



230 , YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 

You 'are then persuaded that, according to the promise 
and vow made at your Baptism, you are pledged to service 
in the name of Jesus Christ until your life's end; and you 
are ready both to pray each day for the spread of His 
kingdom among young men and to make an earnest effort 
each week to bring at least one young man within hearing 
of the Gospel. Will you, then, so far as you are able, faith- 
fully observe these rules of prayer and service, so long as 
you shall remain a member of this Brotherhood? 

Answer. I will, by God's help. 

Almighty God, who hath given you this will to do these 
things: Grant also unto you strength and power to per- 
form the same; that He may accomplish His work which 
He hath begun in you; through Jesus Christ our Lord. 
Amen. 

I receive and admit you (N.) into the fellowship of this 
Brotherhood, and to a share in all its privileges and duties. 
May you have grace to copy the example of the blessed 
Saint whose name we bear, in bringing many of your 
brethren to the knowledge of Jesus Christ our Lord. 

V.f Our help is ^n the Name ©f the Lord. 

R. Who -hath rrfade heaven and earth. 

V. Not unto us 4 O Lord, not unto us; 

R. But unto Thy Name give the praise. 

V. The Lord be with you. 

R. And with thy spirit. 

Let us pray. 

V. O Lord, save Thy servants. 

R. Who put their trust in Thee. 

V. Send us help from Thy holy place. 

R. And strengthen us out of Zion. 

Almighty God, who didst give such grace unto Thy 
holy Apostle Saint Andrew, that he readily obeyed the 
calling of Thy Son Jesus Christ, and followed Him with- 
out delay; Grant unto us all, that we, being called by Thy 
Holy Word, may forthwith give up ourselves obediently 
to fulfill Thy holy commandments; through the same Jes^us 
Christ our Lord. Amen, 



YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 23 1 

Almighty and merciful God, of Whose only gift it 
cometh that Thy faithful people do unto Thee true and 
laudable service; Bless this Thy servant, whom we have 
now received, in Thy holy Name, to the companionship 
of the Brotherhood of St. Andrew; and grant that by Thy 
grace he may lead a godly life in Thy Church, and, labor- 
ing for the extension of Thy kingdom, may finally inherit 
eternal life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

THE BLESSING. 

The God of peace, who brought again from the dead 
our Lord Jesus Christ, the great Shepherd of the sheep, 
through the blood of the everlasting covenant; Make you 
perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you 
that which is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus 
Christ; to Whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 

PRAYERS. 

FOR THE UNITY OF THE CHURCH. 

O Lord Jesus Christ, who saidst unto Thine Apostles, 
Peace I leave with you; My peace I give unto you; Re- 
gard not our sins, but the faith of Thy Church; and grant 
her that peace and unity which is agreeable to Thy will, 
Christ; to Whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 

FOR THE BROTHERHOOD. 

O Almighty and Eternal God, we humbly pray Thee to 
vouchsafe Thy blessing to this Brotherhood, that all its 
members, being inspired with lively faith and love, may 
earnestly strive to promote the honor due to Thy dear 
Son, the spread of His Church, and the gathering of wan- 
derers into the fold; give us grace to fulfill, in our lives, 
what we profess with our lips; deliver us, O God, from 
false doctrine and slackness of living; and grant that, per- 
severing unto the end, we may obtain everlasting life, 
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

FOR PRIVATE USE. 

Heavenly Father, Thou knowest the weakness and cow- 
ardliness of my heart. Thou knowest how much I care 



232 YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 

for the opinion of men. Help me, I beseech Thee, to 
care more for what will please Thee. Make me strong and 
courageous, that I may never be afraid to do my duty. 
Give me grace and courage to speak when and as I should. 
Let me never shrink from my duty through the fear of 
man. Let the love of Jesus fill my heart, that in His 
strength I may be strong. Give me the constant guidance 
and assistance of the Holy Spirit. I ask all in the name 
and for the sake of Thy dear Son, Jesus Christ. Amen. 



A LITANY. 

SUGGESTED FOR USE AT CHAPTER MEETINGS. 

From all evil and mischief; from sin; from the crafts and 
assaults of the devil; from Thy wrath, and from everlasting 
damnation; 

Good Lord, deliver us. 

From all blindness of heart; from pride, vain glory and 
hypocrisy; from envy, hatred, and malice, and all un- 
charitableness; 

Good Lord, deliver us. 

From all inordinate and sinful affections and from all 
the deceits of the world, the flesh, and the devil; 

Good Lord, deliver us. 

We sinners do beseech Thee to hear us, O Lord God; 
and that it may please Thee to rule and govern Thy Holy 
Church universal in the right way; 

We beseech Thee to hear us, good Lord. 

That it may please Thee to send forth laborers into Thy 
harvest; 

We beseech Thee to hear us, good Lord. 

That it may please Thee to bless the work of the 
Brotherhood of St. Andrew, and to spread Thy Kingdom 
among young men; 

We beseech Thee to hear us, good Lord. 

That it may please Thee to bless and keep all Thy 
people; 

We beseech Thee to hear us, good Lord. 



YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 233 

That it may please Thee to give us an heart to love and 
fear Thee and diligently to live after Thy Commandments; 

We beseech Thee to hear us, good Lord. 

That it may please Thee to bring into the way of truth 
all such as have erred and are deceived; 

We beseech Thee to hear us, good Lord. 

That it may please Thee to strengthen such as do stand; 
and to comfort and help the weak-hearted; and to raise 
up those who fall; and finally to beat down Satan under 
our feet; 

We beseech Thee to hear us, good Lord. 

That it may please Thee to bless all members of the 
Brotherhood in this and other lands; 

We beseech Thee to hear us, good Lord. 

That it may please Thee to help us to be faithful to our 
vows and zealous in our work; 

We beseech Thee to hear us, good Lord. 

That it may please Thee to give us true repentance; to 
forgive us all our sins, negligences and ignorances; and 
to endue us with the grace of Thy Holy Spirit to amend 
our lives according to Thy Holy Word; 

We beseech Thee to hear us, good Lord. 

O Lord, we beseech Thee mercifully to receive the 
prayers of Thy people; and grant that we may both per- 
ceive and know what things we ought to do, and also may 
have grace and power faithfully to fulfill the same; through 
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of 
God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us 
all evermore. Amen. 



2. KNIGHTS OF KING ARTHUR. 

FORM FOR CONDUCTING A CONCLAVE. 

(The members and minor officers being seated in posi- 
tion, a procession is formed outside in this order, repre- 
senting thus the return from the chase: Chamberlains in 



234 YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 

double file bearing the banners, Chancellors in single file, 
Merlin, King. As they approach all rise; when well with- 
in, the Chamberlains divide and face inward, Chan- 
cellors pass through and face inward on the left, Merlin 
and King pass through. All take proper positions, as in 
Constitution xiii. King raps. All seated. Silence.) 

I. — Opening. 

King — Sir Knights, Esquires and Pages. 

All— Hail to the King! 

K.^ — I am about to open a regular (or special) conclave 

of this Castle of the Knights of King Arthur. Sir , 

will you act as Sentinel? Sir , you may act as Con- 
stable. If there are present any not entitled to sit at the 
Court of King Arthur, let them now withdraw. Sir Sen- 
tinel, bar the gates and let no one be admitted. Sir Con- 
stable, take your station. Sir Seneschal, examine the 
brethren. 

Seneschal. — Pages, you may rise. What is the motto 
of your degree? 

Pages. — I serve. 

S. — What are the virtues of a Page? 

P. — Watchfulness, humility and courage. 

S. — And what are you as Pages pledged to do? 

P. — To reverence our King and our conscience, and to 
follow all that makes a man. 

S. — Right. Be loyal. Esquires, you may rise. What 
is the motto of your degree? 

Esquires. — In friendship. 

S. — What are the virtues of an Esquire? 

E. — Purity, temperance and reverence. 

S. — And what are you as Esquires pledged to do? 

E. — To abstain from certain unmanly habits. 

S. — Right. Be true. Knights, you may rise. What is 
the motto of your degree? 

Knights. — For Christ and the Church. 

S. — What are the virtues of a Knight? 

K. — Faith, hope and love. 



YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 235 

S.— And what are you as Knights pledged to do? 
K. — To serve our Master, our Church and our Order 
as true Christian Knights. 
S.— Right. Be faithful. 
(All are now standing.) 

Hymn (the following or a Castle Hymn) (optional). 
Tune: "Maryland," or anything in long metre. 

Upon King Arthur's throne to-night 
The royal sword is flashing bright. 
The dew of youth on us is laid, 
The dew of Heaven upon our blade. 

Chorus. — Then lift the heart and raise the song 
On manly voices fresh and strong; 
To knightly manhood pledged are we 
In life, in love, in loyalty. 

About the ancient Table Round 
The perfect circle shall be bound. 
The noble names of heroes bold 
We'll stainless bear as they of old. 

Chorus. — 

Beneath the White Cross banner now 
We'll hold the memory of our vow; 
That Cross to us of Christ shall sing, 
The first true Knight, the perfect King. 

Chorus. — 

Prayer (optional). 

K. — Comrades, resume your seats and Sir Seneschal will- 
receive the password. 

(Each member whispers it to S. as he passes around.) 
If any are without it, S. shall say: 

S. — Sir Pendragon, Sir is without the password. 

K. — Let him withdraw with Sir Merlin and receive it. 

S. — Sir Pendragon, the brethren are examined. 

K. — It is well. And now I, Sir Pendragon, declare this 
conclave open. Sir Sentinel, you may unloose the gates. 



236 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 

If at this time any are waiting without, Sir Sentinel shall 
approach the throne and say: 

Sentinel. — Sir Pendragon, Sir is without, hav- 
ing been detained by urgent business. 

K. — Let him enter. 

Sent, retires, the member gives knock of his degree, 
K. responds with same. Member enters, salutes, whispers 
password to M. and S., gives the sign, salutes, and is 
seated. Late members are not admitted until this time. 
If any one enters later, this ceremony is omitted. 

II. — Business. 

K. — Sir M. may read the records. 

K. — Sir M. may read the roll. 

K. — Sir M., what is the condition of the exchequer? 

K. — Are there any candidates for membership? 

K. — Are there any candidates for initiation? 

(If so, Initiation Ritual here.) 
K. — Are there any complaints or petitions? 
K. — Are there any embassies or councils to report? 
K. — Is there any unfinished business? 
K. — Is there any new business? 

K. — Sir Seneschal, you may receive the tribute (if offer- 
ings are taken). 

. III. — Exercises. 

K. — Sir Chancellors, what have you to offer? (The 
Chancellors now report the evening's program.) 

K. — Sir Constable, you may report. (Sir C. is censor 
and keeper of order. He reports errors in literary exer- 
cises and breaches of decorum. M. may announce penal- 
ties at this time.) 

K. — Is there any more business to come before us? 

K. — Is there any news from neighboring Castles or 
messages from Caerleon? 

K. — Have the elders any word of counsel? (Parents or 
others present may speak now.) 



YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 237 

IV. — Closing. 

K. — Comrades, I am now about to close this conclave. 
Sir Sentinel, bar the gate and let no one be admitted. 
Sir Knights, Esquires and Pages, rise. Sir Heralds, bring 
forth our banners (Castle and national). 

K. — Brethren, join hands and repeat our covenant. 

(Reads by clauses; all repeat after.) 

We, the Knights of King Arthur, 

Gathered about the Round Table of unbroken brother- 
hood, 

And beneath our banner of the White Cross, 

The symbol of purity and devotion, 

And under the flag of our country, 

Do now covenant 

With our King and with each other, 

To be true to ourselves, 

True to each other, 

True to our Order, 

And true to our country, 

Until we meet again, 

We so covenant. 

Hymn: The National Anthem. 
K. — Comrades, what is our legend? 
All. — My sword shall be bathed in heaven. (The King 
here draws Excalibur.) 

K.— Salute our banners (all salute and say — ). 
All.— Hullo! 

Hurray! 

K. O.! 

K. A.! 

(Castle name) ! 
K. — I proclaim this conclave closed. 
(A procession may be formed to march out, members 
first, officers last.) 



Note. — Castles are at liberty to alter or enlarge this 
form. The more elaborate and dignified it is gradually 
made, the more the boys will like it and profit by it. 



238 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 

3. EPWORTH LEAGUE. 

THE INSTALLATION OF JUNIOR OFFICERS. 

Pastor. — Boys and girls, you have been selected to serve 
as officers of the Junior Epworth League for the next six 
months. Will you state the object of this Society? 

Officers. — The object of the Junior Epworth League is 
to promote in its members an earnest and intelligent 
Christian life, to bring them into membership in the 
Church, and to train them in works of mercy and help. 

Pastor. — Will you recite the pledge of the Junior Ep- 
worth League? 

Officers. — We have promised, with the help of God, to 
try always to do right; to pray every day; to read every 
day in the word of God; to abstain from profane language, 
from the use of tobacco, and from all intoxicating liquor; 
to attend the morning church service and the regular 
meeting of the Junior Epworth League. 

Pastor (to the President). — Your duty as President will 
be to preside at the business meetings of the Cabinet and 
Chapter, to assist the superintendent as she shall indicate 
in carrying on the work of the Junior League, and to help 
the other officers in the work of their departments. 

President. — Take my life, and let it be consecrated, Lord, 
to Thee. 

Pastor (to the First Vice-President). — The key word 
of the first department is "heart," and denotes that the first 
work of the Junior League is to develop true heart-life. 
It will be your duty to help in the spiritual work of the 
Chapter, to strive to bring the members to Christ and 
into the church, and to help them to public prayer and 
testimony. 

First Vice-President. — Take my heart; it is Thine own; 
it shall be Thy royal throne. 

Pastor (to Second Vice-President). — The key word of 
the second department is "hand," which denotes helpful- 
ness, a hand reached out to do good. It wilL be your duty 
to visit sick members, to carry help to the needy, and to 
collect and distribute religious papers and tracts. 



YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 239 

Second Vice-President. — Take my hands, and let them 
move at the impulse of Thy love. 

Pastor (to Third Vice-President). — The key word of the 
third department is "head," which means intellectual life. 
It will be your duty to help the members to become in- 
telligent Methodists, to assist in establishing a reading 
Circle, and to promote Bible reading will be a -part of your 
work. 

Third Vice-President.— Take my intellect, and use every 
power as Thou shalt choose. 

Pastor (to Fourth Vice-President). — The key word of 
the fourth department is "feet." The meaning is, a life of 
busy activity. Your duties will be to seek new members, 
to induce each member to wear a badge, and to help in 
the social life of the Chapter. 

Fourth Vice-President. — Take my feet and let them be 
swift and beautiful for Thee. 

Pastor (to Secretary). — The key word for the Secretary 
is "pen." . Your work will be to keep the records of the 
chapter, and to be present and read the minutes and call 
the roll at each meeting, and to write to absent members. 

Secretary. — Take my moments and my days; let them 
flow in endless praise. 

Pastor (to Treasurer). — The key word for the Treasurer 
is "pocket," and means the consecration of our money to 
God. It will be your duty to receive and pay out the 
money of the Chapter and keep an account of the same. 

Treasurer. — Take my silver and my gold; not a mite 
would I withhold. 

Pastor (to Organist). — Your duty will be to assist in 
the music of the Chapter as the superintendent may re- 
quire. 

Organist. — Take my voice, and let me sing always, only, 
for my King. 

Officers. 

Take my love, O Lord; I pour 
At Thy feet its treasure store; 
Take myself, and I will be 
Ever, only, all for thee. 



240 YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 

GRADUATION OF JUNIORS. 

(They assemble at the front and are presented by the 
Junior League Superintendent.) 

Pastor. — You have now reached an age entitling you to 
membership in the Epworth League. Before transferring 
your membership thereto we wish to question you upon 
the work you have done in the Junior League. 

Have you read the four Gospels and the Acts and Epis- 
tles, and answered the questions thereon?- 

Response. — We have. 

P. — Have you finished the course of study prescribed 
for the Junior League, and received certificates and seals 
for the same? 

R. — We have. 

P. — Will you repeat the Apostles' Creed? 

R. — (Juniors repeat the Apostles' Creed.) 

P. — Repeat the Ten Doctrines of Grace as held by the 
Methodist Episcopal Church. 

R. — (Juniors repeat Ten Doctrines.) 

P. — The President of the Epworth League will now 
question you in regard to your knowledge of the purpose 
and pledge of the Epworth League. 

(Follow with service for the reception of new members, 
if desired.) 

RECEPTION OF NEW MEMBERS. 

President. — You have been duly elected 'to membership 
in our Chapter of the Epworth League. In welcoming 
you to its fellowship we wish to state its object and aims, 
and hear your pledge of loyalty to its spirit. The object 
of the Epworth League is to promote intelligent and vital 
piety in the young members and friends of the Church; 
to aid them in the attainment of purity of heart and con- 
stant growth in grace; and to train them in works of 
mercy and help. Do you approve of these objects, and 
will you do what you can to promote and realize the same? 

Answer. — I will. 

P. — Do you desire a league offensive and defensive with 
every soldier of Christ? 



YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 241 

Ans. — I do. 

P. — As Epworthians we live to make our Church a 
power in the land, while we live to love every other 
Church that exalts our Christ. Will you cherish this 
thought and endeavor to reach practical results? 

Ans. — I will. 

P. — Our motto is, "Look up, lift up." Will you make 
this your motto? 

Ans. — I will. 

P. — Do you desire to become an active member in our 
Chapter? 

Ans. — I do. 

P. — Will you earnestly seek for yourself, and do what 
you can to help others attain, the highest New Testament 
standard of experience and life? 

Ans. — I will. 

P. — Will you abstain from all those forms of worldly 
amusement forbidden by the Methodist Episcopal Church? 

Ans. — I will. 

P. — Will you attend, so far as possible, the devotional 
and business meetings of the Chapter, and take some active 
part in the same? 

Ans. — I will. 

P. — In the name of our Chapter and of the Epworth 
League of our Church I extend the right hand of fellow- 
ship and welcome you to membership in this great body of 
Methodist young people, and trust our fellowship may 
be mutually pleasant and profitable, and likewise a blessing 
to the Church. (Here the other members of the Cabinet 
will follow the President and welcome each of the candi- 
dates to the Chapter, church, etc.) 

INSTALLATION OF OFFICERS OF THE CHAPTER. 

(Officers present themselves before the Pastor in order.) 
Pastor. — These persons have been elected by the Ep- 
worth League as officers, and they have been approved by 
the Quarterly Conference. 

(To the President-elect.) You have been elected to 
the chief office of the League. It will be your duty to 



242 YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 

conduct the affairs of the League; to interest yourself in 
all the details of its organization and work; to counsel with 
each department and be a pattern for their inspiration; to 
preside in the Cabinet and business meetings; and to rep- 
resent the Epworth League in the Quarterly Conference. 

(To the First Vice-President.) You have been elected 
to the office of First Vice-President. You thus become 
superintendent of the spiritual work. Your duty will re- 
quire you to arrange for the devotional meetings; to aid 
by personal effort to secure the conversion of the young 
people, and the religious culture of all; to persuade the 
young people to attend the regular services of the church, 
and to stimulate them to activity in Christian missions, 
and especially to care for the religious training of the 
children of this church. 

(To the Second Vice-President.) Into your charge 
is given the work of the Department of Mercy and Help. 
You are to visit those who are in need and relieve them 
as far as possible; in company with the members of your 
department you are to call upon strangers and visit the 
sick; to hold prayer-meetings at the homes of the aged; 
to secure employment for the unemployed; to visit the 
hospitals; and to urge upon the young people the deacon- 
ess and home mission work. 

(To the Third Vice-President.) You have been elected 
to the Department of Literary Work. It will be your 
duty to urge the reading of the "Epworth Herald;" to 
form classes in Bible study; to organize a Reading Circle 
to pursue the work of the Epworth League Reading 
Course; and to plan for a series of lectures, in order that 
our young people may become intelligent and vital in 
their piety. We hope that large additions may be made 
to our League library during your term. 

(To the Fourth Vice-President.) You are assigned to 
the work of the Social Department. You will need to 
exercise the greatest wisdom in providing wholesome 
entertainment for the Chapter, and means for extending 
their personal acquaintance with each other. Seeking new 



YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 243 

members, the music of the Chapters, excursions and pic- 
nics, and the badges are all under your control. My wish 
is that you may prove fertile in expedients to elevate and 
ennoble the social life of our church. 

(To the Secretary). As Secretary, your duty will be to 
keep the records of the meetings, to attend to the corre- 
spondence, to aid the President and the department lead- 
ers, and to prepare notices and letters of removal. 

(To the Treasurer.) Into your keeping are committed 
the financial interests of the Chapter. You are to collect 
the regular dues, take the special collections, disburse the 
money for current expenses, and perform such other finan- 
cial duties as may be imposed upon you. 
( Fellow members: You have heard in outline a statement 
of the work upon which you are now to enter. Will you 
discharge the duties committed to your care as you have 
opportunity and to the best of your ability? 

Officers. — I will. 

P. — I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence 
cometh my help. 

O. — My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven 
an^ earth. 

P. — Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then 
cometh the harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your 
eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already 
to harvest. 

O. — We count not our lives dear unto ourselves, so that 
we may finish our course with joy, and the ministry, which 
we have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the Gospel 
of the grace of God. 

P. — If any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that 
giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall 
be given him. 

O. — Thou wilt show me the path of life. In Thy pres- 
ence is fullness of joy; at Thy right hand are pleasures for 
evermore. 

P.— Delight thyself also in the Lord, and He shall give 
thee the desires of thy heart. 



244 YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 

Pastor's Address. — Having been elected by this League 
to fill these responsible positions for the ensuing six 
months (or "year," as the case may be), much of the 
strength and success of the work will depend upon you. 
You will need to plan for it, to pray for it, to work for it. 
You will need to inspire and assist all the other members, 
to personally entreat them, and to draw them into closer 
fellowship. 

There are souls among you to be converted; there are 
weaker members to be supported; there are erring ones 
to be uplifted; there are suffering ones to be relieved. 
You will need discretion, constant watchfulness for op- 
portunities and the continual presence of the Holy Spirit. 

There is no activity in the Church, no movement of 
reform, in which you may not rightfully engage, for the 
upbuilding of Christ-like character. "Therefore, my 
brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in 
the work of the Lord; forasmuch as ye know that your 
labor is not in vain in the Lord." 

Consecration prayer. 

Response by new President. 

Rev. O. W. Scott has recently prepared a com- 
plete Junior Ritual. 



III. CONVENTIONS AND NOTES. 
CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOR CONVENTIONS. 

1882. Portland— Held in First Church. 

1883. Portland — Held in Second Parish Church. 

1884. Lowell — Societies in six denominations. 

1885. Old Orchard — United Society founded. 

1886. Saratoga — Eight denominations represented, includ- 

ing Lutherans and Episcopalians. 

1887. Saratoga — Rev. F. E.Clark elected president; "The 

Golden Rule" adopted as official organ. 



YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 245 

1888. Chicago — Motto: "Not to be ministered unto but to 

minister;" pledged loyalty to our church and 
pastor. 

1889. Philadelphia — Committee conferences begin to be 

held. 

1890. St. Louis — State delegations assigned to different 

churches. 

1891. Minneapolis — "The Spiritual Convention." Badge 

banners awarded; platform of principles set 
forth, reaffirmed at New York, revised at Boston. 

1892. New York — "The Enthusiastic Convention." For- 

eign lands represented; Junior rally. 

1893. Montreal — Preliminary services in churches; tent 

used; simultaneous meetings; denominational ral- 
lies; missionary and good citizenship movement. 

1894. Cleveland — Missions and citizenship; street decora- 

tions. 

1895. Boston — Noon-day evangelistic meetings; World's 

Union formed; international features. 

1896. Washington — Evangelistic, spiritual; special meet- 

ings for men and women; three large tents; State 
officers meet with Trustees. 

1897. San Francisco — Daily Bible readings; twenty-eight 

denominational rallies; quiet hour; chalk talk; 
pastors' conference. 

1898. Nashville — Board of Trustees enlarged. 

1899. Detroit — Daily sessions for quiet hour, Bible study, 

personal workers, practical methods. 

BAPTIST YOUNG PEOPLE'S UNION CON- 
VENTIONS. 
1891. Chicago [ . . 

1802 Detroit ( Experimentation and expansion. 

Indianapolis — Christian culture courses announced. 
Toronto 1 Growth of international fellowship; 

Baltimore three ideas g ettin & emphasized: 

Y Federation, the basal idea; Educa- 



1893 
1894 
1895 
1896 

1897 



Milwaukee 

tion, the structural idea; Denomi- 

Chattanooga J nation, the conservative idea. 



246 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 

1898. Buffalo — Keynote, fellowship; kin beyond sea; ex- 

pository services; workers in council. 

1899. Richmond — Keynote, discipleship. 

EPWORTH LEAGUE CONVENTIONS. 

1893. Cleveland — Shall the Epworth exhibits be removed 

from the World's Fair? 
1895. Chattanooga — Three divisions of Methodism meet; 

tent used. 
1897. Toronto. 
1899. Indianapolis — Methodism for to-day. 

YOUNG PEOPLE'S CHRISTIAN UNION OF THE 
UNIVERSALIST CHURCH— CONVENTIONS. 

1889. Lynn — Constitution adopted. 

1890. Rochester — A church at Harriman,Tenn., proposed. 

1891. Cleveland — Missionary for Harriman; steps to- 

ward song book. 

1892. Reading, Pa. — Paper talked up; also national or- 

ganizer. 

1893. Washington — The Union incorporated during the 

year. 

1894. Harriman. 

1895. Boston — Department of Christian citizenship. 

1896. Jersey City — Applied Christianity; work in Japan. 

1897. Detroit — Co-operation offered with other bodies. 

1898. Chicago. 

1899. Lynn — Decennial Jubilee. 

CONVENTIONS OF BROTHERHOOD OF ST. 

ANDREW. 

1886. Chicago — Constitution adopted. 

1887. Chicago — Shall we broaden the Rule of Service? 

1888. New York — No, says the convention; wider work 

for boys; Bible study; conference on practical 
matters. 

1889. Cleveland— Council enlarged; social features to be 

minimized; standard high. 



YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 247 

1890. Philadelphia — Canada represented; headquarters 

fixed at New York. 

1891. St. Louis — Work extended in South and West. 

1892. Boston — Quiet day session; addresses by bishops; 

traveling men's work developed. 

1893. Detroit — New men to the front. 

1894. Washington — Discussion on social themes; plat- 

form of principles adopted. 

1895. Louisville — State and diocesan work developed 

during the year; China work furthered. 

1896. Pittsburg — Self-denial week funds to be used in 

the home field. 

1897. Buffalo — First international convention. 

1898. Baltimore — Quality, not quantity; more mission 

and Bible study. 

1899. Columbus — Sessions in November. 

BROTHERHOOD OF ANDREW AND PHILIP. 



1889 
1890 
1891 
1892 
1893 

1894 
1895 
1896 

1897 
1898 

1899 



Reading, Pa. 

Philadelphia — Other denominations inquiring. 
Baltimore. 

Bethlehem — Federation of chapters. 
New York — First biennial; annual denominational 
and biennial federal conventions provided for. 

— Second biennial. 
Brooklyn. 
Reading — Third biennial. 

Baltimore — Fourth biennial. 



• IV. OFFICIAL INFORMATION. 
LEND A HAND SOCIETY. 
Headquarters, No. 1 Beacon Street, Boston, Mass. 
Officers: Rev. E. E. Hale, D.D., President. 
Mrs. Bernard Whitman, Secretary. 




248 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 

Official Organ: "The Lend-a-Hand Record." Published 
monthly. 



Badge: 



Watchword: "In His Name." 

Motto: Look up and not down; look forward and not 
back; look out and not in: lend a hand. 

INTERNATIONAL ORDER OF THE KING'S 
DAUGHTERS AND SONS. 
Headquarters, No. 156 Fifth Avenue, New York. 
Officers: Mrs. Margaret Bottome, President. 
Mrs. I. C. Davis, Secretary. 
Official Organ: "The Silver Cross," a weekly paper, 
edited by Mrs. Mary Lowe Dickinson. 
Watchword: "In His Name." 



Badge 



Motto: Not to be ministered unto, but to minister. 
Membership: '400,000 in 1896. 

YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETY OF CHRISTIAN 
ENDEAVOR. 

Headquarters: Tremont Temple, Boston; No. 155 La 

Salle Street, Chicago. 
Officers: Rev. Francis E. Clark, D.D., President. 

John Willis Baer, General Secretary. 

William Shaw, Treasurer. 




YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 249 

Official Organ: "The Christian Endeavor World," pub- 
lished weekly. Editor-in-Chief, Rev. F. 
E. Clark; Managing Editor, Prof. Amos 
R. Wells. 

Motto; For Christ and the Church, 



Badge: 



Membership: 3,35o,ooo. 

EPWORTH LEAGUE. 
Headquarters: No. 57 Washington Street, Chicago, 111. 
Officers: Bishop W. X. Ninde, D.D., President Board 
of Control; Rev. W. P. Thirkield, D.D., Sec- 
retary; Chas. E. Piper, Treasurer. 
Official Organ: "The Epworth Herald," weekly; Edited 

by Rev. J. F. Berry, D.D. 
Motto: Look up. Lift up. 





Badge: 



Colors: White ribbon with thread of scarlet lengthwise 

through center. 
Membership: 1,750,000. 

EPWORTH LEAGUE, SOUTH. 

Headquarters: Nashville, Tenn. 

Officers: Bishop W. A. Candler, President. 

Rev. H. M. DuBose, D.D., Secretary. 
Official Organ: "The Epworth Era," edited by Dr. 

DuBose. 
Motto: All for Christ. 



250 YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 

Badge: Similar to Epworth League. 
Colors: Old gold and white. 
Flower: The violet. 
Membership: 252,000. 

EPWORTH LEAGUE IN CANADA. 

Rev. A. C. Crews, Toronto, Secretary. 
Membership: 80,000. 



BAPTIST YOUNG PEOPLE'S UNION OF 
AMERICA. 

Headquarters: No. 324 Dearborn Street, Chicago, 111. 
Officers: Mr. John H. Chapman, President. 

Rev. E. E. Chivers, General Secretary. 

Mr. John Moody, Treasurer. 
Official Organ: ''The Baptist Union," weekly. 
Watchword: Loyalty to Christ. 




Badge: 



Membership: 500,000. 

LUTHER LEAGUE OF AMERICA. 

Headquarters: Washington, D. C, P. O. Box 133. 
Officers: E. F. Eilert, President, New York. 

M. C. Olson, General Secretary, Chicago. 
Geo. M. Jones, Statistical Secretary, Reading, 

Pa. 
Cornelius Eckhardt, Treasurer, Washington, 
D. C, Box 133. 



YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 



2 Si 



Official Organ: 'The Luther League Review," monthly, 

edited by Pres. Eilert. 
Motto: Of the Church, by the Church, for the Church. 



Badge: 




Membership: 50,000. 



YOUNG PEOPLE'S CHRISTIAN UNION,— 
UNITED BRETHREN. 

Headquarters: Publishing House, Dayton, Ohio. 
Officers: Rev. J. P. Landis, D.D., President. 

Rev. H. F. Shupe, Secretary. 
Official Organ: "The Watchword," edited by the Secre- 
tary. 
Motto: For the Glory of God and the Salvation of Men. 



Badge: 



Membership: 75,000 in 1897. 




YOUNG PEOPLE'S CHRISTIAN UNION OF THE 
UNIVERSALIST CHURCH. 

Headquarters: No. 30 West Street, Boston, Mass. 
Officers: Mr. H. M. Fowler, President. 
Rev. A. J. Cardall, Secretary. 




252 YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 

Official Organ: "Onward," weekly. Editor, Rev. E. G. 
Mason, Hightstown, N. J. 



Badge: 



Membership: 12,000. 

BROTHERHOOD OF SAINT ANDREW. 

Headquarters: Church Missions House, No. 281 Fourth 

Avenue, New York. 
Officers: James L. Houghteling, President, Chicago. 

Carlton Montgomery, Assistant Secretary, No. 
281 Fourth Avenue, New York. 
Official Organ: "St. Andrew's Cross," monthly. Edited 
by the Secretary. 
Badges: 

The Brotherhood has adopted two badges 
to be worn by members in token of their 
membership and obligations, and as a means 
of fraternal recognition. One is a St. An- 
drew's cross of gold and red enamel, the other 
a black silk button with a red St. Andrew's 
cross woven on its face. These are furnished 
only by the National Councils and only 
through the officers of Chapters at $1 each 
for the gold pins and 10 cents each for the 
buttons. 
Membership: 13,000. 

BROTHERHOOD OF ANDREW AND PHILIP. 

Headquarters: No. 25 East Twenty-second Street, New 
York. No. 41 North Ninth Street, 
Lebanon, Pa. 
Officers: Rev. Rufus W. Miller, President. 

Rev. C. E. Wyckoff, Secretary, Irvington, 
N.J. 



YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 253 

Official Organ: 'The Brotherhood Star," monthly. 

Edited by Secretary Wyckoff. 
Motto: Dan. 12: 3. 



Badge: 




Membership: 15,000. 



V. LITERATURE. 

Note. — The publishers of this volume will supply at regular rates the 
books and pamphlets mentioned below, or they may be ordered from the de- 
positories of the several societies at the headquarters stated on other pages. 
The place of publication, name of the publisher, and date of first edition are 
given wherever such appeared in the " American Catalogue." 

I.— LEND-A-HAND CLUBS AND INTERNA- 
TIONAL ORDER OF THE KING'S 
DAUGHTERS AND SONS. 
"In His Name." Rev. E. E. Hale, D.D. Developing 
the thought of the watchword. Originally published in 
Boston: Roberts, 1874. Numerous later editions, illus- 
trated, $1.25; i8mo, $1.00; paper, 25 cents. 

"One Little Life." Mrs. Margaret Lowe Dickinson. 
Presenting the element of quiet, personal service. New 
York: Methodist Book Concern. 1890. i6mo, 60 cents. 
"In His Steps." Rev. C. M. Sheldon. Illustrating the 
thought of following the Master. Chicago: Revell. 1897. 
i2mo, 25 cents. 

Among the circulars and leaflets published by the Cen- 
tral Council of the King's Daughters are copies of con- 
stitutions, model for Circle constitution, simple form of 
service for admitting members, responsive services for 
meetings of the Order, hymns for the Order, consecra- 
tion and motto cards. 

Address all orders to 

Mrs. I. C. Davis, 
156 Fifth avenue, New York. 



254 YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 

II.— YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETY OF CHRIS- 
TIAN ENDEAVOR. 

"World-wide Endeavor. The Story of the Young Peo- 
ple's Society of Christian Endeavor from the Beginning 
and in all Lands." Rev. F. E. Clark, D.D. A wide-awake 
thesaurus. Philadelphia: Gillespie, Metzgar & Kelley. 
1896. Sold only by subscription. 

"The Children and the Church and the Young People's 
Society of Christian Endeavor as a Means of Bringing 
Them Together." F. E. Clark. The first book on Chris- 
tian Endeavor, revised and enlarged in 1887. Boston: 
Congregational Publishing Society (now Pilgrim Press). 
1883. i6mo, 75 cents. 

"A Decade of Christian Endeavor." Rev. D. M. Pratt. 
New York: Revell. 1891. Second edition. Illustrated. 
i2mo, $1.00. 

"Why: Reasons for the Christian Endeavor Move- 
ment." Rev. W. F. McCauley. The best book on the 
philosophy of the movement. Cincinnati: Standard Pub- 
lishing Co. 1894. 24mo, 50 cents. 

"How: A Book of Christian Endeavor Methods." By 
the same author. Excellent for the practice of the move- 
ment. Chicago: Revell. 1893. i8mo, 50 cents. 

"Next Steps." By the same author. 

"Junior Manual: A Handbook for Junior Workers." 
Amos R. Wells. Full of proved material. 

"Attractive Truths in Lesson and Story." Mrs. Alice 
May Scudder. For junior workers. New York: Revell. 
1889. 8vo, $1.25. 

"Golden Rule Meditations," "When Thou Hast Shut 
Thy Door." Amos R. Wells. Two helpful devotional 
books. New York: Revell. Third edition. i6mo, 50 
cents. 

"Mossback Correspondence." F. E. Clark. Boston: 
Lothrop. 1889. i2mo, $1.00. 

"Some Christian Endeavor Saints." F. E. Clark. 
Foible and character sketches. Boston: Congregational 
Publishing Society (now Pilgrim Press). 1892. i2mo, 
$1.00. 



YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 255 

"Fuel for Missionary Fires." Belle M. Brain. 

"The Missionary Manual." Amos R. Wells. 

"Weapons for Temperance Warfare." Belle M. Brain. 

"Citizens in Training." A. R. Wells. 

Official Reports of the Annual Conventions. 

Besides these books, the United Society publishes a 
great variety of booklets and leaflets, giving information 
about the origin, growth and history of the society, and 
the work of its committees, costing from two to ten cents 
each, among which may be mentioned: 

"Our Crowning Meeting." A. R. Wells. 

"Systematic Benevolence" (prize essays). 

"Christian Endeavor Essentials and Auxiliaries." F. 
E. Clark. 

"The Y. P. S. C. E., Where It Began, What It is, How 
It Works." F. E. Clark. 

"Portfolio of Missionary Programs." S. L. Mershon. 

III.— THE EPWORTH LEAGUE. 

These books and pamphlets mentioned below are pub- 
lished by the Methodist Book Concern, New York. 

"Four Wonderful Years: A History of the Origin and 
Progress of the Epworth League." Rev. J. F. Berry, 
D.D. 1893. i2mo, 75 cents. 

"The Epworth League: Its Place in Methodism. J. B. 
Robinson. 1890. i6mo, 35 cents. 

"Work and Workers: Practical Suggestions for the 
Junior Epworth League. F. S. Parkhurst. 1893. i2mo, 
40 cents. 

Also the following booklets and leaflets among others: 

"The Epworth League Handbook." An invaluable 
annual. 5 cents. 

"The Epworth Catechism of Christian Doctrine." W. 
W. Martin. 1894. i2mo, paper, 20 cents. 

"Epworth League Bible Studies" (semi-annually). E. 
A. Schell. 15 cents. 

"Denominational Young People's Societies." 

"Why the Epworth League?" 



256 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 

"God's Tenth." Willis W. Cooper. 3 cents. 

"Fifty Social Evenings." Mrs. Annie E. Smiley. Two 
series. 1894-96. i6mo, each, 25 cents. 

"Fifty Literary Evenings." S. G. Ayres. 1896. i8mo, 
25 cents. 

"How to Make the Wheel Go." Byron E. Helman. 
i6mo, 25 cents. 

"The Missionary Spoke of the Epworth Wheel." Wil- 
lis W. Cooper and F. S. Brockman. i8mo, 25 cents. 

Along with these it puts forth yearly a series of books 
for its literary and religious reading course. 

IV.— THE BAPTIST YOUNG PEOPLE'S UNION 
OF AMERICA. 
The literature of the Baptist Union is to be found 
chiefly in its "Proceedings of its International Conven- 
tions" and in its paper, "The Baptist Union." All the 
material of the Christian Culture Courses appears in the 
official paper. A suggestive bird's-eye view of the course 
is this: 



YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 



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258 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 

Besides printing Constitutions of its State, District, 
Local and Junior Organizations, it issues the usual va- 
riety of leaflets covering all phases of the work. Among 
which may be mentioned: 

"Results of B. Y. P. U. Work." 

"Special Methods to Win Young Men." 

"The Pledge: Its Scope, Power and Fulfilment." Rev. 
O. P. GifTord. 

"Winning the Associate Members — When?" 

"The Executive Committee and its Duties." 

"Practical Suggestions for the Conquest Missionary 
Course. 

V.— YOUNG PEOPLE'S CHRISTIAN UNION OF 
THE UNITED BRETHREN. 

Besides its "Progressive Bible Studies," this Society 
issues: 

"A Handbook of the United Brethren in Christ." E. 
L. Shuey. Dayton, O.: United Brethren Publishing 
House. 1885, rev. ed., 1899. Paper, 10 cents; cloth, 15 
cents. 

"Life of Jesus for Children." Rev. C. J. Kephart. 
Dayton, O.: Shuey. 1894. i8mo, paper, 15 cents. 

"Handbook for Workers." M. R. Drury, D.D. Day- 
ton, O.: Shuey. 1888. 25 cents. 

And such supplies and leaflets as meet the wants of 
those desiring to organize or to learn how to do better. 

VI.— BROTHERHOOD OF SAINT ANDREW. 

The chief channel of information touching the Brother- 
hood of St. Andrew is "Saint Andrew's Cross," its 
monthly paper. The "Proceedings" of some of its con- 
ventions are published in pamphlet form and well repay 
reading. "St. Andrew's Cross" for November, 1897 and 
1898, gave full accounts of the Buffalo and Baltimore 
conventions. 

The "Handbook for 1897" will be found very useful. 



YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 259 

VII.— THE BROTHERHOOD OF ANDREW AND 

PHILIP. 
' The work of this Order is known mostly through its 
official organ, "The Brotherhood Star." It issues from 
time to time prayer-meeting topics, manuals and similar 
helps, with a "Handbook of the Boys' and Junior Brother- 
hood." 



Handbooks and other equivalents are to be had setting 
forth the working of the other Orders. 

The "Luther League Handbook" and the numbers of 
the "Luther League Review" will give information con- 
cerning that organization. 

Valuable material on the Boys' Brigade may be found 
in Dr. Gladden's "Christian Pastor" (New York: Scrib- 
ner. 1898. 8vo, $2.50 net) and in Prof. George Adam 
Smith's "Life of Henry Drummond" (New York: Double- 
day & McClure. 1898. 8vo, $3.00 net). 



INDEX 



Activities, 142, 170, 171, 174-176, 199. 

Adriance, S. W., 99. 

Advanced Course, 160, 161. 

Agassiz Association, the, 183. 

American Institute of Sacred Literature, 148. 

Badges, 241-253. 

Baer, J. W., 174, 202, 248. 

Bands of Mercy, 183. 

Baptist Young People's Union of America, 36, 98, 132, 133, 

134-138, 150, 163, 225, 245, 250, 256-258. 
Beckley, J. T., 203, 227. 
Berry, J. R, 37, 249, 253. 
Bible Readers' Course, 150. 
Bible Study; among King's Daughters, 148; in Y. P. S. 

C. E., 149; B. Y. P. U., 150; Epworth League, 150, 

151; United Brethren, 151; expectations, 218. 
Bottome, Margaret, 23, 248, 256. 
Boys' Brigade, the, 58, 183-187, 259. 

Brotherhood of Andrew and Philip, 48, 194, 247, 252, 259. 
Brotherhood of St. Andrew, 45, 57, 89, 90, 148, 193, 216, 

228, 229-233, 246, 252, 258. 
Brotherhood of St. Paul, 50, 51. 
''Burlington Plan, The," 209. 
Burton, E. D., 150. 
Bushnell, Horace, 179. 
Business Meetings, 176. 
Cardall, A. J., 251. 
Carroll, H. K., 202. 
Chapman, J. H., 37, 250. 
Chautauqua, 18, 132. 
Chivers, E. E., 37, 202, 250. 
Christian Citizenship, 129, 165-167, 174-176. 
Christianoid Charity, 77. 

Christian Culture Courses (C. C. C), 159-161. 
Christian Endeavor, fruits, 215; principles and methods in 

other orders, 127, 128, 139, 140; in churches, 207-209. 
Church Temperance Legion, 187. 
City Union Work, 174-176. 

Clark, F. E., 28, 68, 81, 87, 126. 205, 244, 248, 240. 
Closs, W. J. L., 32. 

261 



262 INDEX 

Committee Work, hints on, 127, 128. 

Conquest Missionary Course, 154, 155. 

Consecration Meetings, 108, 140. 

Conventions, object, 189; State and International, 190; 

places of meeting, 190-195, 244-247; summer schools 

196. 
Covenant, 216, 217. 
Crews, A. C, 250. 
Criticism, Boys' Brigade, 185, 186; Epworth League and 

Christian Endeavor, 210-214. 
Culture, 218. 

Cumberland Presbyterians, 36. 
"Daughters of The King," 47, 86. 
Davis, I. C, 22, 248, 253. 
"Declaration of Essential Principles" (Brotherhood of St. 

Andrew), 46, 228, 229. 
Department Work, 123-126. 
Dickinson, Mary Lowe, 253. 
Disciples, 2>7- 

Drummond, Henry, 184, 188, 259. 
Du Bose, H. M., 249. 
Eckhardt, Cornelius, 40. 

Education, emphasized by B. Y. P. U., 152. 
Eilert, E. F., 39, 202, 250. 
Epworth League, 55, 98, 118-122, 133, 150, 153, 161, 191, 

214, 227, 238-244, 246; South, 129- 131, 249; in Canada, 

38, 98, 129, 250. 
Evangelical Association, 36. 
"Expository Times, The," 82. 
Federation, the early co-operation, 197; the threatened 

competition, 198; the wider co-operation, 198, 199; 

something yet wider, 200; closer relations between the 

Epworth League and Y. P. S. C. E., 201; "The Inde- 
pendent's" Symposium, 202-204. 
Fellowship Features, 146, 193, 198, 200. 
Forbush, W. B., 183, 184. 
Fowler, H. M., 44, 251. 
Friends, 37. 
Free Baptists, 36. 
General Culture, 158. 

George Junior Republic Association, 183, 
Gideon's Army, 91. 
Girls' Friendly Societies, 58. 
Gladden, W., 259. 
Goodman, F. S., 151. 
Graham, Robert, 187. 
Grauer, A. C, 187. 



INDEX. 263 

Hale, E. E., 18, 20, 92, 247, 253. 

Hand Books, quoted from: St. Andrew, 89, 90, 148, 216, 217; 
Epworth League, 153, 159; Luther League, 139. 

Harper, Pres., 149. 

Herbert, George, 77. 

Houghteling, J. L., 46,-252. 

Interdenominationalism, 198, 204. 

Intermediate Societies, 64, 181. 

International Order of The King's Daughters and Sons, 
22, 25, 57, 95, 99, 148, 248, 253. 

Junior Societies, 178; relation to primary classes in the 
Sunday-school, 177, 180; objects, equipments, and re- 
lations 181; prayer-meeting topics, 181; pledges, 180. 

Knights of King Arthur, the, 58, 178, 183, 233-237. 

Knights of the Silver Cross, 182. 

Landis, J. P., 41, 202, 251. 

League for Social Service, 166. 

Lend-a-Hand Clubs, 20, 22, 56, 78, 94, 99, 182, 247-253. 

Literature, 253-259. 

Look Up Legion, 20. 

Loyal Temperance Legion, 182. 

Luther League, 36, 38-40, 138, 165, 280. 

"Manual of Boys' Clubs," 183. 

Mason, E. G., 44, 252. 

Meetings, business, 176; consecration, 146; for instruction, 
148-165; in Bible, 148; missions, 151; temperance, 157; 
general culture, 158; Christian citizenship, 165; social, 
168, 170; for worship, 142. 

Membership. 187, 248-253. 

Miller, R. W, 48, 252. 

Mission, study, of C. E., 152; Epworth League, 153; B. Y. 
P. U., 153, 156; revival, 151, 210; boards, 221; expecta- 
tions, 221. 

Moravians, 37. 

Moulton, R. G., 150. 

Mottoes, 173, 247-253. 

Mothers' Society, 181. 

Music, various uses of, 74. 

Ninde, W. X., 2>7, 202, 249. 

Official Information, 247-253. 

Parents' Society, 181. 

Park hurst, C. H., 176. 

Periodicals, 167, 187, 248-253. 

Platforms and Principles, 223-229. 

Post-Office Mission, 43. 

Pledge, 60; of Y. P. S. C. E., 61, 107, 113, 114; of Epworth 
League, 118, 145; B. Y. P. U., 134^ 145; Y. P. C. U. of 



264 INDEX. 

Universalist Church, 140, 145; Boys' Brigade, 185; 

Church Temperance Legion, 188. 
Prayer-Meetings, pledges, 144, 145; topics used by the 

three, C. E., E. L., and B. Y. P. U., 146; some topics 

of Universalist societies, 141. 
Price, I. M., 161. 

Principles of Young People's Societies, the two, 67. 
Quiet Hour, the, 147, 206. 
Read ng Courses, of Epworth Lesgue, 159, 161, 162; Luther 

League, 165; United Brethren, 162, 163. 
Results, aimed at, 205, 206; achieved, 206-216; expected, 

216-221. 
Ritual, 51, 178, 229-244. 
Rules of Prayer and Service, 48, 141. 
Ryerson, E. L., 48. 
Scott, O. W., 244. 
Senior Society, 181, 208. 
Service, 77-87. 
Sheldon, C. M., 253. 
Shupe, H. M., 41, 151, 251. 
Singing, 74~76. 
Socials, 168-170. 
Spreng, Pres., 202. 
Taylor, Graham, 166. 

Temperance Study, 129, 157, 158; some work accom- 
plished, 174-176; expected, 219, 220. 
Tenth Legion, 156. 
Tithing Bands, 157. 
Thirkield, W. P., 37, 249. 

Unions, local, 189; first local, 188; first State, 189. 
United Presbyterians, 37. 

United Society of Christian Endeavor, 31, 99. 
Veteran Knights, 187. 
Wallace, O. C. S., 150. 
Watson, B. R, 187. 
Wells, A. R., 249, 254. 
Westminster League, 98. 
Whitman, Mrs. Bernard, 22, 247. 

Wise, H. E., his method of conducting C. C. C, 163-165. 
Woman's Part in Meetings, 80-87. 
Wood, J. W., 46. (Ex-Secretary of Brotherhood of St. 

Andrew.) 
Work, suggestions for, 123, 126. 
Working of a Young People's Society, 141-178. 
World's C. E. Prayer Chain, 147. 
Wyckoff, C. E., 252. 
Young Crusaders, 187. 



INDEX. 265 



Young Men's Christian Association, 18, 182. 

Young People's Christian Union (United Brethren), 36, 

40, 139, 151, 162, 251, 258. 

Young People's Christian Union (Universalist Church), 

41, 140, 195, 246, 251. 

Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor, 28, 59, 60, 
96, 103-116, 149, 190.. 214, 215, 223, 244, 248, 253. 

Younger People's Societies, the many forms, 182, 183; 
Forbush's "Manual of Boys' Clubs," 183; Boys' 
Brigade; 184-187; Church Temperance Legion, 187, 
188. 

Young Women's Christian Temperance Union, 58, 182. 



Hand-Books for Practical Workers in 
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